Dream Sequence
by Ms Monypeny
Summary: Seiya/Usagi fic... Helios decides to take fate into his hands, Kakyuu has a role of her own to play in his plan and some how I got sucked into this fic by just being sick on my couch! FINISHED!
1. one

Hello yet again ^_^ This is just a little info so that it doesn't get too confusing. (as if that stop it before) anywhoo. The person that starts the story off sort of narrating is me. Odango. you know. yeah, shameless plug putting myself in the story an all but hey, it's my fic so I guess I can be in it, ne?  
  
.:dream sequence:.  
  
Part I  
  
It was raining outside and the mood inside wasn't any better. I was once again stranded from the real world by this dreadful cold. I was armed with a box of tissues, tv, vcr, and the episodes of Sailor Moon Sailor StarS. Hey, it looked like I had a lot of time on my hands and I was pretty much inapt for doing anything else so I decided to lamp out on the couch all day.  
  
With my remote in hand I settled in on my comfy couch. It had never let me down before! I was already miserable as it was and didn't see any point in further frustrating myself so I unplugged the phone from any potential annoyances. I had just pushed play and my mind had already started to wander. I thought about all of the things that were going on in my life right now and how I should be taking this cold as a blessing for giving me a break from them. I just needed to relax, that usually meant that I would watch a movie or write. Writing, that reminded me, I had written so many Sailor Moon fan fics but it was amazing how not one of them could truly compare to the series itself.  
  
"Well I guess it would have been easier if I could have actually gone there and met all of them." I huffed at myself. Excuses, excuses. it really wasn't anyone's fault but my own. I found myself staring at Seiya's handsome face on the screen and without realizing it I started rewinding the moment to see his first appearance again. "Great, you're obsessed with a cartoon character." My head peeked up over the back of the couch to make sure my roommate wasn't home to hear me talking to myself. She'd probably think that I was running a high fever and getting delusional and try to take me to the hospital. I laughed at myself and realized that I had rewond the tape too far.  
  
With my wonderful luck and the way things were already going today it would just figure that the batteries in my remote would die at that particular moment. "That's what you get for googling at a cartoon!" I cursed myself as I got up off the couch and headed for the entertainment stand. The picture was frozen on the screen of Seiya's face as he had his head resting on his arms while looking up at Usagi from the park bench. Before I knew what hit me I found myself falling face first towards the floor, on my way down I caught a brief glimpse of my cat and knew that he was the assailant. You might think I'm crazy but I swear I thought he was smiling at me.  
  
"What the hell?" I picked my head up and felt the sharp pain sting through my skull. I must have been knocked out because it wasn't raining outside anymore and the sun was shining. "How long have I been laying here?" My hand instinctively went to my head as I sat up.  
  
"Only about a minute." A voice said from behind me. My head immediately whipped around to see my visitor's face. Last I knew I had been home alone, this didn't sound like my roommate's voice but strangely familiar. When I turned to see their face I realized I wasn't in my apartment any more. "What happened to you?"  
  
The face was so familiar and I immediately had a name to go with it but it couldn't be, she was fiction. "I tripped over my cat." I said as I attempted to stand up. Another look at my surroundings showed that I was in a high school surrounded by students in uniforms.  
  
"Yeah, my cat trips me all the time, I'm beginning to think she does it on purpose, but why did you bring your cat to school."  
  
Where the hell was I? Lockers lined the wall and people were rushing by me. I looked back at the girl's face to make sure that my delirious mind wasn't playing tricks on me. She had the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen in my life, long blond hair with bangs done up in two buns with ponytails streaming from each one. "Impossible." I covered my mouth.  
  
"What?" She asked, apparently I had made her uncomfortable by staring.  
  
I looked down at myself and realized that I was dressed in a Juuban High uniform complete with that damn cheesy bow in the front. This was too much. This had to be a joke. I started to look around to see if my roommate was anywhere in sight, nope, she wasn't.  
  
"Hey, are you going to sit there all day or are you going to get up?"  
  
I realized that I had been zoning out and found my aid standing beside me. She offered me her hand to help me up which I graciously accepted. My head was only getting worse with my confusion.  
  
"I'm going to Crown to meet my friends, do you want to come?" She asked. I stood and stared with a bewildered face. "Oh, I forgot, I'm Usagi." Her hand extended to me to shake.  
  
WHAT!! I got sucked into Sailor Moon some how? And my mom always told me that cartoons weren't real! Ha, what does she know! "Odango attama?" I asked just about ready to pass out.  
  
Her hand dropped to her side and a surprised look crossed her face. "I just barely met you and already you're insulting me?" She turned and looked as though she was about to storm off.  
  
I had to stop her. "No. wait, I'm sorry!" She stopped in her tracks when my hand reached her shoulder. "I'm sorry. Usagi." Usagi turned to face me. "I will go with you to Crown. My name is Odan." Wait a minute, I can't tell her my name is Odango, that would be too weird. "My name is ummm."  
  
"Man you hit your head harder than you thought if you can't remember your own name." She laughed at me but stopped quickly when she realized it wasn't funny.  
  
"No I didn't forget my name it's Morgan." I figured I'd use my roommate's name. What did you want me to do, it was the first name that popped in my head.  
  
"Well, Morgan, let's go!" She said my name as though she didn't believe it was really my name and grabbed my hand to pull me along behind her. This was going to be interesting.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Fighter, Healer and Maker sat around the room not saying a word to one another until Maker broke the silence. "I don't think she's trying to get rid of us, why would she?"  
  
"I don't know, but that's what it seems like to me too." Fighter said not taking her view away from the window to her left. She had been watching out the window at their Princess in the olive garden below.  
  
"Stop it you two. I'm sure there's another reason." Healer cut in sharply. "Our lives exist so that we may protect and serve her, why would she, how could she ask us to do anything else?"  
  
"And of all places Earth." Taiki continued to voice his thoughts. "I'm not going. I admit I miss Earth but there is no reason for us to be there now." Her head turned to catch the reactions that her words would have on her companions.  
  
Fighter sighed and didn't respond only continued to look out the window longingly. She had been this way since they had returned from Earth the last time. Time, time heals everything. obviously except Fighter's broken heart.  
  
Healer just nodded her head. "I agree with you. How can she even think that we would be happier there than we would be here with her? Especially now that the restoration is complete."  
  
"I don't know but she seemed pretty adamant about it." Maker said returning her gaze to Fighter. "What do you think?"  
  
"I don't think Earth holds anything for us either." She said in a near whisper. Her voice and every motion since she had returned seemed to mourn the loss of her Odango. Healer and Maker thought that she of all people would want to return to Earth as soon as possible to once again be with her Odango. They too soon came to the realization, just as Fighter did, that she could never be her Odango and the mere sight of her with her boyfriend day in and day out would be enough to kill Fighter.  
  
"Then it's settled. We're not going." Healer stood firm with her hands crossed across her chest. Maker nodded her head to show her approval as she too looked out the window at the Princess below.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Master, please. stop!" The servant cried as he followed his white haired master down the hall. "I'm sure it's not what it looked like."  
  
Helios turned around and looked the servant in the eye. Tears were pooled up and already spilling down his cheeks. The servant eased up his pleas when he saw the unbelievable hurt in his master's eyes. "I know exactly what I saw."  
  
Hanti was Helios's most trusted servant and Helios often confided in him. "Saturn has always been a good friend of the Princess. I'm sure that's all that it was and nothing more."  
  
"No, Chibi-Usa never looked at me that way, not the way I saw her looking at Saturn. She loves her. and that leaves no room for me." Helios turned and continued walking in the direction he had previously been heading.  
  
"But what are you going to do?" Hanti asked as he followed close behind.  
  
Helios descended the stairs leading to the basement of the palace. "I'm going back to the past. I gave my heart to her once, I have to stop myself from making that mistake."  
  
"But Sir, what about Illusion?"  
  
"Illusion will be fine, when I go back and stop myself from falling in love with Chibi-Usa it will make it so that I never left it's sanction." There was a look of regret in his eyes as he knocked on the door of the gate of time.  
  
"Pluto will not let you do it, she loves the Princess too much."  
  
"We'll see." He turned with a smile just before the large doors in front of him opened widely to allow his passage.  
  
Sailor Pluto stood amongst the mist, guarding another large door with carvings of the different phases of the moon on it. "Welcome Helios."  
  
Helios bowed respectfully to Pluto's feet. "Sailor Pluto I've come to seek your help." With a nod of Pluto's head he continued. "I must go back to the past and set right an injustice which has plagued my future."  
  
"I see." Pluto said through barely parted lips. "Helios, it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."  
  
Helios's frame tightened when he feared she was going to refuse him passage. "I can't say that I agree, those words only come from some one who has never been hurt."  
  
Pluto held a cool expression but Helios noticed her gloved hands tightening around her staff. "Maybe. but your future has been set, you will become the future King of Crystal Tokyo and Earth. don't you want that?"  
  
"I would rather sit alone in Illusion than stand beside a woman who only pretends to give her heart to me." Helios ventured closer to Pluto and the time door. "Please don't do to me what you did to Mamoru."  
  
Pluto's eyes narrowed and focused in on his form. A sore spot yes, and she couldn't believe that he would be accusing her of such a thing while asking for a favor. "And what do you propose I did to the King?"  
  
Helios got a cocky half grin on his face as he stared her directly in the eye. "You knew the Queen was in love with another but you made them believe that this destiny was the only one to follow. Now Mamoru knows and lives in that misery everyday." Helios took another step towards Pluto. "I know it pains you too, I can see the way you look at him."  
  
"Lies."  
  
"No! Truth, and you know it as well as I do." Helios snatched a key from her waist quickly. "But I now know how to fix it all."  
  
"Stop, you don't know what you're doing!" Pluto called behind him as the doors opened at his hands.  
  
"I do. I will go back to the past and fix it all!" And with that Helios disappeared from sight and that time on a journey to the past. 


	2. two

I hope I didn't confuse you too much. hey, if you have any problems at all understanding where my twisted mind is leading you feel free to drop me a line and I'll clear it all up. Trust me, I have a hard time understanding myself sometimes, I can't very well expect you to do it! ^_~  
  
Part II  
  
I walked down the street next to Usagi who was keeping her eyes on everything but the path ahead of us. 'No wonder she trips on everything.' I thought to myself as I watched her. "So where are Minako, Makoto, and Ami? Don't you normally walk to Crown with them?" I asked before I realized what I was saying.  
  
"What?" Usagi asked with a puzzled look on her face. "How did you know that?" She suddenly became scared as a thought must have entered her head. "Do you follow me?"  
  
I laughed at her, she really had no idea how much I truly knew about her. "No, I don't follow you." I contemplated what I should tell her, I knew I could easily wiggle myself out of this situation but since we were alone I figured I should confront her with the truth. "Actually I'm from." Figures, I was cut off by Minako's obnoxious yelling coming up behind us.  
  
"Hey Minako!" Usagi turned around and waved. Once Minako caught up to us she stood by Usagi's side as Usagi introduced us. "Minako this is Morgan and Morgan this is Minako." She put that same strange twist on my name as she did the first time I said it. What the hell was she doing?  
  
"Suuuurrrre. Well nice to meet you Morgan." Minako said as she held her hand out to me. Why were they saying my supposed name so strangely? Was I really that transparent?  
  
"What's wrong with my name?" I asked and they both giggled at me and started walking again. "Oi, wait up!" I called as I realized they had left me behind.  
  
"So, what are you doing here?" Minako asked walking beside me.  
  
"What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm going to Crown's with you guys." I didn't want her to look any deeper into this, it would be easier if I explained my situation to just ONE of them and went from there, but I couldn't take on both of them.  
  
Minako laughed a bit at my comment but I didn't really see the humor in it. "You're still just as funny."  
  
"What?" I asked as Usagi opened the door to the café for us.  
  
Usagi and Minako both giggled a bit more as we walked to the famous corner booth at the end of the room. Makoto, Ami and Rei were already sitting there waiting.  
  
"Oh my god!" Rei said as she stood up and looked right at us.  
  
I caught Usagi giving her a 'shut-up-Rei-' look out of the corner of my eye and then immediately noticed Rei sitting back down.  
  
"Oh my god. ummm. I can't believe you two didn't get detention. yeah, that's it!" She said as she was apparently covering up for something else.  
  
'What am I naked or something?' I asked myself as I looked down at myself quickly. I was still in the uniform and nothing seemed out of place. "Uh. I'm going to the washroom I'll be right back." I had to find a mirror and quick.  
  
When I made it to the washroom it was empty and I walked over to the sinks which had a long mirror hung above them. It was just plain old me staring back at me from the mirror, nothing weird, except the uniform of course. 'God this thing is ugly.' I thought to myself. What the hell were they staring at? Then again knowing them it was probably nothing I should concern myself with.  
  
When I made my way back to the table they were all once again staring at my arrival. "This is Makoto, Ami and Rei." Minako was more than enthusiastic about the introduction. We all waved our hellos and I took a seat next to Usagi.  
  
I had to find a way to get Usagi alone so I could tell her my situation. After all, it's not like I had a home or a place to stay during my visit to la la land!  
  
"So, are you going to be going to Juuban High now?" Rei asked with a huge smile on her face.  
  
"I guess." I said not really knowing what I should be telling her.  
  
"So where are you living?" Makoto asked, "If you need a place to stay you can come to my apartment!" She was also a little over enthusiastic about the offer.  
  
"Actually she is staying with us." A voice said from behind me. Of course I recognized the voice immediately as Setsuna.  
  
"What?." I asked a little more than confused.  
  
"I went to meet you after school but you weren't there." Setsuna said with her hands clasped in front of her. "Shall we go?"  
  
I took a look around at all of the girl's faces at the table and they were all in turn looking at me. I knew what happened when Setsuna and the rest of the outers picked out strange friends of the inners and I was starting to get a really bad feeling about this but saw no way out of it. If I refused to go with Setsuna she'd probably freeze time, hog tie me and dress me in a chicken costume. What was I supposed to do? "I guess so."  
  
"Oh you didn't tell me you were staying with Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru." Usagi beamed a smile and then winked at me. "Looks like we'll meet again."  
  
The inners all laughed at my confused expression as I walked away following Setsuna. Maybe I could make a break for it! "Yeah right she'd catch me in a heart beat." I muttered to myself.  
  
"If I didn't catch you I'm sure Haruka could have." Setsuna smiled at me. Man was she tall! She seemed amused with my shocked face, I hadn't thought she could hear me. "So, Odango, how much did you tell Usagi and the others?"  
  
"How did you know my name?" I asked incredulously but then thought to myself, 'duh, she knows pretty much everything!'. She gave me that knowing look and excused me from my stupid question. "What am I doing here?"  
  
"I don't know the answer to that one. I was hoping that you would have a little insight on it yourself. but I guess not."  
  
"All I remember is being sick and getting knocked out, then the next thing I knew I was here!" I explained using stupid hand gestures, I never realized I did that before, I guess I'd have to work on that one. "Maybe I'm dreaming?"  
  
"No, you're not dreaming." Setsuna said as she pinched my arm.  
  
"Ow, that freakin hurt!" I yelled as I held my arm. She smiled at me. "Can I ask you a question?" She nodded her approval. "Is Haruka going to kill me?"  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The peaceful sanctuary of sleep was disturbed by the shouts of Healer not to mention her forceful shaking. "Fighter! Fighter get up!"  
  
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Fighter detached Healer's arm from her body and rolled over. "Go away."  
  
"The Princess is missing!!"  
  
Fighter sat up straight in her bed now fully awake. "WHAT!"  
  
"The Princess is missing, I went to see her this morning and she was gone." Healer said now starting to pace a bit.  
  
Fighter's original shock was now fading a bit. "I'm sure she's around somewhere, we'll just look for her."  
  
"Maker is already trying to track her energy now." Healer said as she started for the door. "Well are you coming?" She asked turning to wait for Fighter.  
  
Fighter nodded and they both headed towards Maker's study. "It's not like her to just take off without telling one of us where she's going." Fighter said thinking aloud.  
  
"I know, and that's why I'm so worried." Healer commented picking up their pace a bit. They were soon upon Maker's study and entered without any hesitation. "Have you found anything?" Healer asked a little jumpy.  
  
Maker nodded her head. "She's not on Kinmoku anymore. she's left for Earth."  
  
"WHAT!!" Fighter and Healer asked simultaneously.  
  
"She's almost to Earth." Maker repeated herself as she closed her eyes for a dramatic pause. "I believe she has left so that we would follow her there. It looks like we have no choice, it looks like we're going to Earth after all."  
  
Fighter and Healer looked at each other and then at Maker. "Why does she want us on Earth so badly?"  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Helios' face became awash with the brilliant colors of the sunset in front of him. He smiled as he looked at the pre-Crystal Tokyo city around him. He looked up at the sky and at the drifting clouds. "Don't worry Pluto. I'll make you happy too."  
  
"Pluto said you would be here." A woman with bright red hair done up in two loops on the side of her head approached him. "I'm Kakyuu." She greeted him as she drew nearer.  
  
Helios looked at her warily. If Pluto had told her of his arrival then she may not be very friendly to his mission. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said as he began to walk away from her.  
  
Kakyuu smiled and began to follow him. "Don't play these games with me." Her words caused Helios to stop and face her. "I'm here to work with you. if that is what's best for the Moon Princess."  
  
"How do I know that's the truth? You may just be a spy to try and stop me." He said with a cool face. He didn't like to be this forceful but to protect his future was reason enough.  
  
"Can we go somewhere and talk." She looked around. "Somewhere private?"  
  
Helios looked around at their surroundings and hesitantly agreed to follow her. They were soon upon an apartment complex in the middle of Tokyo. "Good evening Ms Kou." He guard said as he bowed and displaced his hat.  
  
"Ms Kou?" Helios asked as they got on the elevator.  
  
"Yes, my name is Kakyuu Kou on Earth."  
  
"On Earth? Does that mean that you know the Sailor Starlights? Do you know Seiya Kou?" His inhibitions had escaped him and he was very anxiously questioning her.  
  
A light giggle escaped Kakyuu's lips as the doors to the elevator opened into a large penthouse suite. "You could say that." The apartment was not humble at all and was rather tastefully decorated.  
  
"Now who's the one playing games?" Helios questioned as he closed the door behind himself.  
  
Kakyuu turned to look at him and offered him a seat on the sofa. "I'm Princess Kakyuu ruler of Kinmoku. I am the Starlight's Princess." She snapped her fingers and an entire tea setting appeared before them.  
  
Helios smiled being slightly amused at the magic show. "So if you're their Princess then where are they? It is urgent that I speak with Seiya."  
  
Kakyuu smiled at Helios. "I know." She took a dainty sip of her tea. "Pluto told me that there was going to be one more person to help us in our mission."  
  
"We don't need anyone else! I could have done this alone, I don't even need you."  
  
"Yes. yes you do. The problem here is getting around the planetary senshi. They are not going to take kindly to your plan to destroy the future that they have built for themselves, this world and most of all their Princess." Kakyuu quickly began talking again just before Helios was about to voice a complaint. "YOU and I know that it will be for the best but it is going to take some small miracle to bring the others to their senses. Think about it. I'm not even of this planet and you are an outside guardian protecting it."  
  
"But I'm protecting the Prince. in the long run. he will listen to me, I'm sure." Helios sounded determined in his tone.  
  
"Maybe, but we have to get the pieces in order before we go shaking things up. I just hope we find our third person in time." Kakyuu's expression turned worried as she set her cup down in its saucer.  
  
"In time for what? What will happen to them?" The question was anxious just as its predecessors had been.  
  
"We have to find our third before the Pluto of this time does." 


	3. three

Part III  
  
   
  
We pulled up to the large house in a secluded area. Setsuna shut the engine off. "We're here!" She said as she opened her door. "Are you coming?" She asked as she noticed I was still in the car.  
  
   
  
I don't care what Setsuna said I was still afraid that Haruka would come out of the house and rip my head off. To my surprise I looked to the entrance way of the house and saw her, Michiru and Hotaru standing there smiling at us. I figured if I didn't get out of the car they would probably rip me out anyway so I went along with her request.  
  
   
  
As we approached the house Hotaru came flying up to Setsuna and wrapped her in a huge hug. "Setsuna-mama!" When she released the tall woman she turned her attention to me with a bright smile. "Hello Odango!"  
  
   
  
"Hello Hotaru." I said with a smile, she really was cute.  
  
   
  
"I understand you need our help." Haruka came up with her hand extended to shake mine.  
  
   
  
"Help?" I questioned as I shook her hand. "What do I need your help with?"  
  
   
  
Michiru giggled lightly and delicately as she always had. "You want to get home don't you?"  
  
   
  
I nodded my head and looked around at all of them. "You know how to get me out of here?"  
  
   
  
Setsuna gave Haruka an odd look but then turned her attention to me. "Not exactly but we're working on it."  
  
   
  
Yeah right, that gave me little comfort.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"Where on Earth do you think she would go?" Healer asked as they readied themselves for their departure.  
  
   
  
Maker was making some last minute calculations while Fighter was staring aimlessly at the sky above. "She may have gone back to Japan since that is where she knows the best. Besides, why else would she be going there other than to see some one she knows?" Maker asked picking her head up from what she was doing. "I'm not getting an exact reading of where she landed, but the transmission should come in clearer once we get there."  
  
   
  
Fighter took her gaze from the view that she called home and looked at her two companions. They both looked at her sympathetically.  
  
   
  
"We don't have to let anyone know that we're even on Earth if you don't want to." Healer started as she moved a little closer to Fighter. "We can just go there, find the Princess and get out. It doesn't have to be like last time."  
  
   
  
Last time. last time wasn't so bad. The memories that she held from Earth the last time they visited were sweet enough to last her an entire lifetime. But what good were memories when you never had a chance at the real thing. Daydreams would only suffice the heart for a short time but the love she had would plague her for the rest of her life.  
  
   
  
Since the Starlights had returned to Kinmoku they tried to return to their normal lives which they knew before. Impossible. New thoughts, ideas, and emotions had forever changed their lives. Love was something that the senshi of Kinmoku had never known before. The only person they were to ever love was their princess. How is some one else supposed to fit into that equation? They had built up barriers around their hearts, caring for and confiding in only one anther. But some how she slipped through the crack. Usagi had infiltrated that barrier and left a lasting impression.  
  
   
  
Fighter nodded at Healer that she agreed with her idea. There was no need to bring up the painful images of Usagi's life without her. To see her happy, she would like more than anything to have Usagi happy. but it was still a selfish wish because she wished she could see Usagi happy with her.  
  
   
  
In a starburst of light they disappeared into the fully lit morning sky of Kinmoku. It would be night when they reached Earth, it was perfect to conceal their presence.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"Why would the Pluto of this time want this third person? Are they truly that important?" Helios was no more out of the dark than he was when they had first arrived.  
  
   
  
"Each of us holds certain information that will aid us in achieving our mission. You hold the truths of the future. I hold the influence of the Starlights. and our third person knows all there is to know about the Planetary Senshi, past and present. She is supposed to even know private thoughts that no one else is supposed to know." Kakyuu saw that they were wasting time with this discussion and tried to entice Helios with the answers he so desperately wanted.  
  
   
  
"So we are looking for an all knowing woman?" Helios pondered the thought. "Please don't tell me we're looking for Setsuna." He asked a bit nervously.  
  
   
  
Kakyuu shook his head at his asinine question. "Why would we need to keep the Pluto of this time from finding herself?"  
  
   
  
Helios immediately realized his mistake and blushed a bit. "Well what are we waiting for, let's go and find her!" He stood up and began to stride to the door.  
  
   
  
Kakyuu once again shook her head, she had expected that he would have a little bit more common sense from the way that Pluto had described him. "Where are you going?" She asked remaining seated in front of her tea. "Do you even know where to begin looking?"  
  
   
  
Helios stopped in his tracks, turned and opened his mouth to answer her but suddenly realized he didn't have the answer to counter her. He was once again defeated by his anxiousness and rejoined her on the sofa. "No." He hung his head but not before he caught sight of her grin.  
  
   
  
"Well, we can't very well let the planetary senshi know that we're here yet until we find our third. That part shouldn't be too difficult. We also can't let my senshi find me either. They will soon arrive on Earth in search of me, I tried to send them ahead of me so that they wouldn't suspect my presence here but they left me no choice." Kakyuu turned her attention to the window to her right and noticed that it was now dark. Her Starlights would be here very soon if things had gone as she planned.  
  
   
  
Helios was still anxious and waiting to start their search the sooner they got started to the sooner he could set everything right. "So where do we start looking?"  
  
   
  
Kakyuu's face dropped before she answered the question. "We start at the outer planetary senshi's house. We have to make sure they haven't already found her."  
  
   
  
"I thought she was supposed to know all? How could she let herself get captured by the 'enemy'?" He used cheesy little quotations in the air with his fingers with the word enemy.  
  
   
  
"That's part of our problem. She isn't looking for us, she doesn't know we are looking for her, and she doesn't realize anything that is going on, especially the fact that the outers are out to stop us." Kakyuu rose from her seat and proceeded to the door. It was going to be a long night, she could just tell.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"Yeah, it was Odango from that TV show. you know, that American one." Usagi was once again overly excited and Minako wasn't helping.  
  
   
  
"That show was based on real characters?" Mamoru asked only half paying attention. He had an eerie feeling that something was going to happen tonight.  
  
   
  
"No, this girl looked just like her, but she told us her name was Morgan. Yeah right, like we were going to fall for that one." Minako waved her hand to wave off the comment.  
  
   
  
Mamoru took his eyes off the window of the apartment and looked Minako straight in the eye. "Do you realize how crazy you sound?" Minako just stared back having no idea what he meant. "You're trying to tell me that you and Usako met a cartoon character today, and now she's going to your school?" Mamoru shook his head in disbelief. "That's a new one. Hey, I always liked the transformers, let me know if any of them show up."  
  
   
  
Usagi and Minako didn't appreciate his joke and both began to pout. "It's true. Even Ami thought so."  
  
   
  
"Hey, I know, we'll prove it to you. She's supposed to be staying at the outer's house. Setsuna came to Crown's this afternoon and picked her up." Minako stood placing both of her hands determinedly down on the tabletop. "We'll just have to go and see our 'make-believe' friend now won't we?!"  
  
   
  
Usagi also stood up in much the same manner as Minako and began pulling Mamoru by his arm out of the apartment when he started to laugh at Minako's horrible attempt at sarcasm.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"How much did she tell them?" Haruka questioned Setsuna. They didn't know I was eaves dropping on their conversation. Hotaru was asleep and Michiru was fixing something to eat at the counter.  
  
   
  
"I don't think she had time to tell them much of anything." Setsuna was casual and cool as ever.  
  
   
  
Michiru turned from the counter and placed a huge sandwich down in front of Haruka. "We have to get her home as soon as possible. Our future depends on it."  
  
   
  
What the hell did I have to do with their future? Let alone threatening it?  
  
   
  
"Well if we can't find a way to send her back then it looks like we're just going to have to get rid of her." Haruka said calmly as she began to chow down on her giant sandwich.  
  
   
  
My breath caught in my throat. I had to get out of there. They weren't interested in getting me home safe, they were just interested in getting rid of me.  
  
   
  
"I sensed the Starlights in my mirror just a while ago. They're back. We can't directly approach them without the inners interfering, we just have to hope that nothing happens once we get rid of their catalyst."  
  
   
  
The Starlights are coming back to Earth? I began drooling on myself. I get to see Seiya up close? Then a devilish idea popped into my head. Maybe I can get him and Usagi together. but first I had to get out of here. I quietly made my way back to my room. It would be easier if I slipped out my own window than it would be if I just waltzed out the front door!  
  
   
  
I took off the pajamas I had borrowed from Michiru and put back on my school uniform. I reminded myself that if I was going to be here for a while that I had to check about getting some new clothes. The window opened smoothly and without incident. "Well, it's been fun!" I waved to my empty room as I climbed out my window feet first. It was a little bit of a drop but nothing that would kill me.  
  
   
  
I stopped falling but my feet hadn't hit the ground yet. I looked up at the window that I just climbed out of and realized that my skirt had gotten caught on a nail. "Great, just freaking great. I'm stuck hanging out a window with my ass hanging out!" I sighed and just thought of my rotten luck. Laughter caught my attention as I looked down below where I was supposed to land.  
  
   
  
Helios was rolling around on the grass laughing while Kakyuu had her head down. "This is the girl we were looking for?" He asked taking a break from his hysterics.  
  
   
  
"You know, you could help me down instead of ridiculing me Helios!" I called down below myself with my hands kinda on my hips.  
  
   
  
Helios immediately stopped his scene and looked at Kakyuu. "How did she know my name?"  
  
   
  
"I told you she knows everything! Now get her down before they find us." Kakyuu helped him to his feet.  
  
   
  
Helios walked over to me and looked up the wall. "Hey pervert!" I said covering my exposed rear end.  
  
   
  
"Do you want me to get you down or not?" He asked laughing a bit at me.  
  
   
  
Before I could even feel embarrassed I heard the tearing of cloth. I had one second to look up and see that the hem of my skirt was giving out before I began plummeting to the ground. I closed my eyes and waited for impact. To my surprise it didn't hurt as much as I had anticipated. I opened my eyes and saw Helios smiling at me, he had broken my fall. I blushed a bit and immediately got to my feet. "We've got to get out of here!" I said just now remembering my predicament.  
  
   
  
Kakyuu nodded and began leading us on the path they must have taken to get here.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
Sorry about the lack of Seiya/Usagi contact so far. have to set the stage first you know. don't worry. they'll meet soon enough ^_^ Like I would ever keep them apart! Ha! 


	4. four

Part IV

The park was cleared and there was no one around to see their landing.  The three came out of their light and immediately ran for cover.  They had no idea what kind of situation they would be transporting themselves into so their obvious first response is to take cover.  

"Well now that we're here there's still one question.  Should we detransform into our male forms or stay female?"  Healer asked still checking behind her to make sure they hadn't been seen.

Maker looked at Fighter quickly before she started answering the question at hand.  "We should be males.  We don't know how long it will be before we find the princess again and we are going to need some means to survive here."

"Are you saying that we're going to take back up our careers?"  Healer asked with wide eyes.  "I thought we were going to lay low, that's kind of contradicting that whole idea isn't it?"

"Maker is right.  The Princess obviously didn't want us to know why she was coming here otherwise she would have told us, which means that I'm sure she won't let us find her until she has done what she came to do."  Fighter said taking one last look behind her to make sure that no one was watching before turning back into Seiya.

Healer and Maker followed his lead and also transformed.  The three stood up from behind their cover.  "Where to first?"  Yaten asked directing his question more at Taiki than Seiya since he was sure that he had other things on his mind.

"Well what business would Kakyuu have here?"  Taiki asked as a theoretical question.  "The only people she knows on this planet are the planetary senshi."  Taiki looked at Seiya with concern.  "We have to trail them to see if they are aware of her presence here on Earth."

Yaten rubbed his hands together in a scary psycho way.  "Great, we get to play detective!"

"I think you're a little too hyper about all of this…"  Taiki sweat dropped.  "We should split up and each of us cover certain senshi.  I'll take Ami, Makoto, and Rei.  Yaten you'll take Minako, Usagi, and Mamoru.  And Seiya you will take the outer senshi, Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and Hotaru, they all live together so it shouldn't be too hard.  Agreed?"

"No, I'll take Usagi it's alright…"  Seiya said with a certain sadness in his eyes.

"But you already have four people to look after and they live no where near the Juuban district."  Yaten was actually being sensible, but he actually had an ulterior motive.  He wanted to check out Usagi's life before Seiya did, he needed to know if Seiya was going to be able to take it.

Seiya just looked away a bit hurt in the direction of Usagi's house.  "Fine…"  He turned and walked off in the direction of the Outer's house.  

"Meet us at the café on the corner of 4th and Lark St."  Taiki said after the fading figure.  Once Seiya was out of hearing range he turned down to Yaten.  "I have a bad feeling about this."

~@~@~@~

"Now that we've been walking forever can I finally ask you both a question?"  I said realizing that we were way out of harms way and just now clearing the wooded area.  "What the hell are you two doing here?"

Helios and Kakyuu just looked at one another strangely.  "The same thing you are."

"What?"  I stopped and stared at them not really expecting an answer.  "Is this all some sort of sick joke and everyone knows what's going on besides me?"

"You mean you're not here to help us?"  Helios asked.

"I told you she had no idea about what was going on here."  Kakyuu hissed at him and made me nervous in the process.  "Let's get back to my place and we'll sit down and explain the whole thing to you.  Sound good?"

"I guess."  I started walking again, what choice did I really have?

We were soon in the city of Tokyo and near Kakyuu's apartment when Kakyuu and Helios suddenly disappeared into an alleyway.  I stood there in the middle of the sidewalk completely confused until I saw him.  I'm sure there was drool hanging heavily from my lip as I couldn't do anything but just sit there and stare at him.  "Seiya…"  I managed to mumble out as my senses picked up only him.  He was heading in the direction that we had just come from.  

Screw this, I thought to myself, I'm following Seiya.  My feet started moving and I began to chase after him, that is until it felt like my arm was being ripped from its socket bringing me back to reality.  "Hey!  He's going to get away!"  I said trying to struggle free from my captor.

"Shhh!"  Helios put his hand over my mouth.  "We can't let him know we're here."

"Why not?"  I asked as he released me.  "He doesn't know who you or I are."

Helios looked at Kakyuu for an answer.  "She's right.  Only I need to hide from my senshi."

"See!  I could have chased after him!"

"And what would you have done?"  Helios asked looking at me pretty retarded.  "Drooled on him?"  He began mocking me and making faces of what I can only assume he thought I looked like.

A quick smack to the back of the head from me ended that pretty quickly.  Kakyuu laughed and began walking into the apartment building not too far ahead.  "Behave you two."  She spoke to us like we were children.

Once we were upstairs and safely locked away in her apartment Helios and I both bum-rushed the kitchen.  "Out of my way!  I thought it was ladies first?"  I said to him as I tried to push my way past him.

"Yeah right!  From what I've seen so far, who the hell can call you a lady?"  He said pushing a little harder.

"Why you…"

"Yet another brilliant come back!"

"Shut up!"  With my last burst of annoyance I some how found the energy to push my way in to the kitchen.

Kakyuu came up behind the both of us as we were piling food into our faces.  "You two are just about as bad as Usagi!"  She commented laughing.

"Hey, we should call them up!"  I said starting to get a little bored.

"No way!  What are you nuts?"  Helios commented while crackers flew out of his face with every syllable.  "They can't know I'm here!"

"Eh?"  

"I came from the future.  If they find out what I'm trying to do here… well all hell is gonna break loose."  Helios stopped shoving goodies into his mouth.

"That's right, and no one can know that I'm here either.  If they find out our plan won't work."  Kakyuu joined us at the table.

"But they all know that I'm here… and I think they know something that I don't."  I wanted to tell them about the whole fact that this was just some twisted episode of Sailor Moon that I some how got sucked into and that they were all fictional characters but for some reason that just didn't look like it was going to fly.

"Well, we can't let the outers get a hold of you again, there's no telling what those four are capable of."  Helios stated grabbing his neck like he was strangling himself.  Kakyuu and I just looked on bewildered.

"I believe the word you're looking for is … anyway…"  I said as I looked at Kakyuu.

"Shut up!"

"No you shut up!"

"God, you two like children."  Kakyuu sighed.  "I don't even think Seiya and Yaten are this bad!  Helios, tell her the story already."

"Fine!"  He said as he grabbed the last cookie from right in front of me.  He just smiled over and shoved it in his mouth.  When he was done chewing a completely serious mood settled over the room.  "Let me start with how I came to be here.  I was to marry Usagi in the not to distant future, wait you probably know her as Chibi-Usa."

I nodded and he continued.  "Unbeknownst to me she loved another."

"But how?  I thought she was completely in love with you?"  I asked.

"That was the past, she had grown and matured and must have realized that I was just a childhood crush and knew she had to move on.  Well she did move on.  Sailor Saturn had been appointed as her body guard so I wasn't surprised when I saw them together always, besides they were best friends.  I found out that they were more than just friends.  I found out the hard way.  Having not suspected any of what I saw when I walked in her room just magnified my hurt.  My love in the arms of another."  Helios looked visibly upset but persevered to go on.

"Furious that I had been so blind I ran to the gates of time, I ran to Pluto.  I told her that I was going to come back to the past and set everything right.  I argued with her, she had no intention of letting me by.  My original intentions were not to come to this time but to go to the time that I fell in love with Chibi-Usa and gave her my heart.  If I could stop that from happening then I would never have gotten hurt.  As I argued with Pluto however I realized just how deeply this problem was rooted."  He paused to gather his thoughts I'd imagine, took a deep breath and continued.

"In the future I became personal aid to the King.  He is miserable."

"Why?"  I asked.

"King Endymion knows that Serenity loves another, and that she has since the moment she met him.  Their marriage is a lie that is killing them both slowly.  Neither of them mention any of this to anyone and put up the perfect front as King and Queen but I know the truth.  I knew then that I had to come back to this time and set right that injustice of love to stop the suffering.  I believe that Pluto let me pass and also summoned Kakyuu because of her love for Mamoru, the King."

I sat puzzled.  "But if you stop Usagi and Mamoru from getting together than Chibi-Usa will never be born.  You'd kill her just because of a broken heart?"  I was amazed at what he was purposing.

"Wait you don't understand.  It's not like I want anyone to get hurt here, Usagi came to me with her doubts before her and Mamoru were married and I was the one that convinced her that marrying Mamoru was the right thing to do.  I know that it was selfish of me since I didn't really believe this, but Chibi-Usa had to be born, for me."

"So why don't they just get a divorce in the future and that way everyone can live on with their lives?"  There had to be another way around this mess and I was determined to find it.

Kakyuu shook her head.  "It wouldn't matter if they divorced or not."

"Why?  You can't tell me that the kingdom would fall because of a divorce."  I questioned.

"No, that's not it.  If Usagi divorced Mamoru in the future for her true love it would make no difference since her true love has already died."  Kakyuu got a terrible look of sadness about her.

"Is her true love Seiya?"  I asked.

Kakyuu nodded.  "Fighter is destined to live with a broken heart in the future and because of that takes her own life."

"So you see, you're saving from death by not giving some one else the opportunity to live and saving hearts in the process."  Helios looked at me, I knew he was trying to read my expression.  "Will you help us?"

~@~@~@~

Yaten knelt down behind the car in the driveway and observed the scene before him.  Usagi, Minako and Mamoru were all walking up to the outer's mansion as the outers came out.  "Shit, Seiya's going to be here too…"  He whispered as he looked around for signs of his partner.  Nothing.

"What are you guys doing here so late?"  Michiru asked as she watched Haruka give Usagi a hug.

"We came to see _Morgan_."  Minako winked at her.  "Mamoru doesn't believe she exists."

Michiru looked at Mamoru suspiciously.  Mamoru held his hands up in defense.  "They said they met a cartoon character and I just wanted to see if they had completely lost it or not."

"Honest Mamo-chan, she's real."

"Usako, you've had crazier ideas in your head."  He frowned at her as though he suddenly became embarrassed by her stupidity.

"Well you're going to have to see her some other time because she's not here."  Haruka said in a rather pissy tone.  She couldn't very well tell her to stay away from her, then she would have to explain the situation.  "Mamoru, can we talk later?"

Mamoru became a little surprised by Haruka's question but nodded that he would.  "Can you girls make it back by yourselves?"  He asked.

"But Mamo-chan it's dark out…"  Usagi whined as she tugged at his sleeve.

Mamoru rolled his eyes and sighed.  "Usako, you have Minako with you."

"Yeah Usagi, I'm here."  Minako said pulling Usagi's arm.  Usagi just waved goodbye and followed her.  Yaten moved quickly to follow them, it was Seiya's job to keep an eye on the outers.  He jumped up in the tree next to him so that he could follow them from above, as he did though he caught a glimpse of a black haired spy looking longingly at the two blonds who had just left.  

"Don't do it to yourself again Seiya…"  Yaten whispered to himself and continued to follow them.

"Usagi?"  Minako asked.  "Why don't you kiss Mamoru goodbye any more?"

Usagi perked up at the question but then calmed herself a bit before answering.  "I don't know, I guess I just forgot."  She shrugged it off and hoped Minako would do the same.

"You forgot to give Mamoru a kiss?  Yeah right!  Now tell me what's really going on?"  Minako had stopped for her sudden out burst.

"Nothing really."  Usagi tried to start walking again but noticed that Minako wasn't following her.  "Don't worry about it, it's nothing."  Usagi turned and continued on her way.

Minako still didn't follow and just let her go on her own.  "Yeah right nothing my ass!  I'm the freakin senshi of love, and she doesn't think I know when something is going on?"  Minako grumbled to herself.  A slight noise from the tree above her startled her and she pulled her belt off.

Minako walked slowly up to the tree she heard the noise from and launched her belt at its branches.  "VENUS LOVE ME BELT!"  She yelled.

Minako was suddenly knocked to the ground by a heavy force.  "AHHH!!! Get off of me!!"  She screamed.

"Get off of you?  You're the dumbass that knocked me down!"  Yaten yelled as he got up and fixed his hair.

"Yaten?"  Minako stared up in surprise from her position on the ground.

"Nice to see you too Minako."  He smiled and she fainted on the ground with hearts in her eyes.  As he bent down to wake her up with a sigh he saw a quick flash of light speed by him.  "Shit, Seiya what are you doing?"  He asked into the night air as he looked off in the direction that the light had gone… towards Usagi's house.

~@~@~@~

Usagi walked home mumbling to herself incoherently.  Seiya kept his distance and just observed her.  He went to the outer's house and knew that Kakyuu wasn't there so he saw no harm in watching after Usagi, especially since Mamoru had made her walk home by herself.

Usagi took a strange turn from her course and was now in the direction of the park that was not too far away.  When she reached the park she simply sat down on the bench and watched the moonlight reflecting on the water.  "It's so beautiful."  She said to herself.  "And as usual I'm here alone."

Seiya sat in the tree just above her and took his eyes from her to see what she was looking at.  The moon, it truly was magnificent.  But the Earth held the moon and it would always be that way.  It's whole existence revolved around the Earth just as Usagi's entire existence revolved around Mamoru.  Pathetic.  Seiya thought, or was it just pathetic because he wasn't the man that captivated her so much?

"Usagi?  What are you doing here?"  Luna asked walking up to the bench.  "Did you fight with Mamoru again?"

Usagi smiled at Luna.  "No, I behaved."

"Usagi, it's not good for you to feel this way."

"I know, but I don't know what else to do about it.  Minako questioned me about it today.  Am I that transparent?"  Usagi asked the small cat that sat on the bench with her.

Luna sighed and looked up at Usagi.  "Sometimes you're like an open book but I don't know if it's just because I know."

"They'll all kill me if I tell them what's wrong."

"They won't kill you, they'll understand, they're your friends."  Luna picked her head up at noise.

"How can I tell them that I love some one else and not Mamoru?  How can I tell them that I love…"  Usagi stopped as she saw how alert Luna was.  "What is it?"

"Let's get home."  Luna said still looking around suspiciously.

"Odango doesn't love Mamoru any more… but who does she love now?"  Seiya pondered as he watched the two leave the park.


	5. five

Part V  
  
   
  
"What a bother!" Yaten huffed as he set Minako down on the bench. "Wake up already would ya?!" He shook her to get her out of her temporary coma.  
  
   
  
The night was still and there was the sweet fragrance of spring in the air. He had almost forgotten the little things about Earth that he loved. Although he completely abhorred its people, Yaten really did love Earth and it's scenery and serenity. He felt movement beside him and it made him wonder how long he had been caught up in this dream.  
  
   
  
"You're awake huh?" He asked poking Minako in her side to bring her completely out of her slumber. He hadn't felt right about leaving her on a park bench in the middle of the night and he sure as hell wasn't about to carry her all of the way home!  
  
   
  
"What hit me?" She asked as she rubbed her arm getting up.  
  
   
  
Yaten sighed and rolled his eyes. "You knocked me out of the tree and in turn, maybe out of sadistic revenge, I fell on you! Do you always make up super powers at random with odd accessories?"  
  
   
  
Minako laughed a little bit. "A girl always has to be prepared!" She soon had her arms wrapped around him in a friendly fashion. She couldn't very well tackle him any more, not the way she used to when she just thought he was another teen idol. No, now she had respect for him as a human, senshi and her friend. "It's nice to see you again." She smiled as she pulled back from their embrace waiting for his response.  
  
   
  
"Yeah, it's always nice to see me isn't it?" He flipped his hair over his shoulder in true arrogant Yaten fashion. Minako got a disgusted look on her face as she stood up from the bench and started to walk off. "Wait! Minako." He said getting up to follow her. "That wasn't very nice, I'm sorry, but I have to ask a favor from you. What do you say?"  
  
   
  
"Why should I do a favor for you?" She asked with her eyes narrowed and her hands on her hips.  
  
   
  
"Because."  
  
   
  
"Because isn't a good enough reason!" She said before turning away again.  
  
   
  
"Please Minako, just hear me out." Yaten grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him again. "Will you please not tell anyone that you saw me tonight? It's important."  
  
   
  
Minako started to get that far off dreamy look in her eyes. "You came to Earth to secretly meet with the beautiful charming Minako Aino?"  
  
   
  
Yaten just rolled his eyes yet again and brought his hand up to his forehead. "Yeah right, do you really believe that?"  
  
   
  
Minako snapped out of her daze and met reality abruptly. "No." She pouted.  
  
   
  
Yaten actually felt a bit bad about having to snap at her, it was, in a sick demented way, endearing that she would even consider that. "Our Princess has come to Earth again and we're here to find her and leave."  
  
   
  
"All of you are here?" Minako smiled. "That's great!"  
  
   
  
"Shhh. You can't tell anyone that we're here, you weren't even supposed to know! If it wasn't for your damn belt tactics I would have been able to keep my cover!"  
  
   
  
"Yeah right, you're a terrible spy!"  
  
   
  
"Oh really? Well I guess that means that you saw me all of those times that I used to spy on you last time we were here?" He said with an eyebrow raised.  
  
   
  
"You spied on me, the incredibly beautiful Minako Aino?" She had that far off dreamy look in her eye again.  
  
   
  
Yaten sighed. "No, I meant we used to watch you Earth senshi before we knew who you were."  
  
   
  
"Oh." Minako looked down.  
  
   
  
Yaten noticed. "Don't expect me to say something to make you feel better."  
  
   
  
"Yeah, I know you better than that!" Minako smiled at him. "Will you walk me home?" Yaten nodded and they started walking. "So, why did your Princess come here?"  
  
   
  
"I don't know." Yaten had his hands shoved in his pockets. "She had tried to get us to come here but we wouldn't, well we couldn't. and we think she came just to get us to come here and look for her. Kind of like a sick game of hide and go seek."  
  
   
  
"Why wouldn't you want to come here, or why couldn't you?" Minako looked questioningly at him as they neared her house.  
  
   
  
Yaten gave her a sideways glance that seemed to say 'what-are-you-nuts?'. "Let's just say that I don't think it would have been in good health for Seiya."  
  
   
  
"Oh." Minako said realizing the stupidity in the question. "Well here's my house." She smiled.  
  
   
  
"You promise you're not going to say anything to anyone?"  
  
   
  
"I promise!" She smiled holding up her right hand as if to swear on it. "I'll let you know if I see Kakyuu. by the way, how am I supposed to get a hold of you?"  
  
   
  
"I'll find you." He said as he turned to leave. "Ja!" He waved.  
  
   
  
"Wait!" Minako called. "If you find your princess before I do, I'm never going to see you again am I?" She asked kind of down heartedly.  
  
   
  
"Probably not." Yaten said facing her.  
  
   
  
"Well then I'll just have to find her first!" Minako said as she quickly stepped forward and gave Yaten a kiss. "Ja!" She waved and walked in her house leaving Yaten smiling and confused.  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"Please?" Helios looked at me pleadingly while Kakyuu just sat and stared. "Will you help us?"  
  
   
  
I cocked my eyebrow at him. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" I asked and he got a puzzled look on his face. "Of COURSE I'll help you!" I smiled.  
  
   
  
"REALLY!?" Helios stood up and gave me a huge hug which in turn caused me to turn a wide rainbow of colors.  
  
   
  
"Uh. Helios? I think you're killing her!" Kakyuu tapped him on the shoulder when she noticed my lack of oxygen.  
  
   
  
"Oh, sorry!" He let go and looked a bit embarrassed.  
  
   
  
Kakyuu sat me down so I could catch my breath. "Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
   
  
I looked at Helios. "I think you should be asking him that question."  
  
   
  
"Why?"  
  
   
  
"Well think about it, who saved your life from Nehelenia?" I asked already knowing the answer. "Don't you think that if Chibi-Usa wasn't around you would have died?" Helios didn't answer immediately so I continued. "Since Chibi-Usa has traveled to the past and become part of the battles here in this time the outcome of some of them may be different. What if by doing this you're destroying Earth?"  
  
   
  
He sat there puzzled and I could tell that he hadn't thought about this before. "Is this all really worth it to you?" I asked, personally I didn't really care, I could just as easily go home and change the channel if I didn't like the outcome but he had to live in it.  
  
   
  
I saw him take a gulp and breathe out. "I believe in Sailor Moon." He said simply. "I will always believe and in that belief lies the hope that of the future of our world and the future of man kind."  
  
   
  
Kakyuu smiled at him. "Then it's settled then."  
  
   
  
"I always thought that Usagi and Seiya belonged together." I said smiling.  
  
   
  
"What?" Helios looked at me like I was completely retarded. "You were just drooling over him a little while ago? How could you always think of him with some one else?"  
  
   
  
"I don't know?" I shrugged I couldn't tell him that I knew an obsession with a cartoon would get me nowhere so I told him the other reason instead. "Those two are just so cute together, they belong together." I smiled. "Besides, Mamoru was always so boring and dull. Seiya on the other hand! Look out! That smooth seductive voice, that charming personality, those crystal blue eyes." I began to drool again until Helios smacked me in the back to bring me out of my thoughts. I quickly stood up and regained my composure. "And besides, you can tell that he always held the purest of loves for Usagi."  
  
   
  
They both smiled at me and started to walk away. "Wait." I called them back. "Will you help me with my little problem when we're done?"  
  
   
  
"What's that?" Kakyuu asked.  
  
   
  
"Will you help to get me home?"  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
"Did you find any signs of Kakyuu?" Taiki asked as he sat across from Yaten at the small table of the café.  
  
   
  
Yaten took his attention from the populous of the café and turned to Taiki. "No, and it doesn't appear as though the Earth senshi, well at least the inners have heard from her either."  
  
   
  
"Yeah, I got that impression too. Well we can't totally rule out the outers. Who knows, Kakyuu may have gone to them because they are more powerful. We'll just have to wait until Seiya gets back to see what he's discovered." Taiki sipped his tea.  
  
   
  
"I wouldn't hold my breath." Yaten said slinging his arm over the back of the chair. "I saw him at the outer's house, so he did go, but as I followed Minako and Usagi I saw him following Usagi when the two broke off."  
  
   
  
"Oh just great!" Taiki said in a fashion completely unusual for him.  
  
   
  
"What's great?" Seiya came in looking a little better than he had the last time they had seen him. He pulled up a chair next to the table.  
  
   
  
"Yaten said you were following Usagi!" Taiki looked at him with a little more than annoyed look. "Care to explain yourself?"  
  
   
  
Seiya sat, still as casual as ever. "I went the outer's house, like I was supposed to and realized that Kakyuu wasn't there and that they had nothing to do with her. I also realized that Mamoru had made Usagi walk home in the dark by herself."  
  
   
  
"No Minako was with her." Yaten spoke up and immediately regretted getting himself into this conversation.  
  
   
  
"So Seiya, if Minako was with Usagi then why wouldn't they get home safe with Yaten looking over them as he was supposed to?" Taiki tried to stay calm.  
  
   
  
"Why don't we ask Yaten?" Seiya looked over at Yaten putting the whole weight of the mess on his shoulders. "Did Usagi get home safely?"  
  
   
  
Yaten looked at Seiya like he was going to kill him but then looked at Taiki's stare causing him to look down at the tabletop. "I don't know." He said quietly.  
  
   
  
"And why not?" Seiya said still sitting casually and with a cocky grin he had been known for. "Did some one have to stay and watch Minako?"  
  
   
  
"Shut up!"  
  
   
  
"Both of you shut up." Taiki said shaking his head. "We're not going to start bickering amongst ourselves when our Princess is missing."  
  
   
  
"But she's not missing." Seiya said turning the teacup in front of him round. "She's hiding. There's a difference."  
  
   
  
"There has to be a reason."  
  
   
  
~@~@~@~  
  
   
  
Nighttime. She never had a problem sleeping before, but now a days it was different. She would wake up in the morning just dreaming of the time she would find herself back in her own bed. In her dreams that's where she could finally be with the person that she so desperately longed to be with.  
  
   
  
The days were slowly stretching into weeks and she knew that her love would never be returned. The sweet memories that she had of the times that she had spent with her love were all she had to go on. This world could be so cruel with no remorse for what it was doing to her.  
  
   
  
She wished that she had had the courage to tell that one person that she loved them and how much she wished she could hold them in her arms. Time was still moving on bringing her no closer to any resolution. Rei looked out her window at the big bright silver moon that hung high in the sky blanketing the city with its cool sereness. "Aishiteru Usagi." 


	6. six

Thank you all for the great reviews!!! You're all so nice!! * gives everyone a giant hug* And for the flamer out there. why would you bother reading a S/U fic if you hated Seiya? Anyway. it's just beyond me.  
  
Part VI  
  
"I don't know what was on her mind today." Makoto said closing her locker with a nudge. "It's like she's been on cloud nine all day long."  
  
"I know!" Usagi said with wide eyes. "I think she's on drugs!"  
  
Makoto and Ami laughed a bit at her comment, they of course knew that she was only kidding, but still. Minako was acting strange out of the blue.  
  
"Well you have plenty of time to ask her what's going on in detention today." Ami continued to laugh. "At least you have company for once Usagi."  
  
Usagi huffed in disgust but realized that she was right and there was no sense in arguing with her about it. Minako came up displaying the ear-to- ear grin that she had had all day long. "Usagi." She started grabbing on to Usagi's hands. "We're together in detention again!"  
  
"Minako you say that like it's a good thing." Usagi took her hands back and pulled her bag up higher.  
  
"Well isn't it?" Minako was still elated despite the odd stares she was getting from her friends. "The world is just wonderful and everything in it is perfect!"  
  
Ami quickly checked her forehead to make sure she wasn't running a fever, she felt fine. "Come on Minako, we're going to be late for detention." Usagi said dragging her along. "We'll catch up with you two later." The girls waved their goodbyes and went their separate ways.  
  
Usagi looked around at the empty room they were to spend detention in. "Looks like it's just me and you." Minako skipped by and sat down in a seat. Usagi just sighed and joined her.  
  
"Alright girls." The detention witch waltzed in. "Since you were so careless to get detention on a Friday, I think that making you sit here after school is punishment enough. Besides, I have other things I need to do. I'll check on you once in a while, all you have to do is stay here until the bell rings."  
  
"See, it is a great life." Minako smiled at Usagi.  
  
"What's wrong with you? We're in detention, what's so great about that?" Usagi slumped in her seat and fiddled with her pencil.  
  
Minako looked over at her, she knew that the others would have no idea that the reason she was soooo happy was because she had a brief encounter with Yaten, the guy of her dreams, Kou last night. She had promised him she wouldn't tell and she stuck to it! Minako noticed Usagi starting to sketch a small doodle on her notebook. "What are you drawing?" She questioned leaning over from her seat to strain to see.  
  
Usagi quickly covered what she was doing and blushed profusely. "N.nnothing." She stammered. "I have to go to the bathroom, will you tell the teacher if she comes back while I'm gone?" Usagi asked getting up.  
  
Minako nodded her head and watched her leave. 'Time to find what Usagi's hiding!' She thought to herself. Minako snatched Usagi's notebook from her desk and started leafing through the pages to find the drawing she had just been working on. Minako's eyes went wide when she saw what it was. 'What the hell is she drawing a picture of Seiya for?' She thought to herself as she continued to look through the notebook. More pictures of Seiya, a picture of Seiya with Usagi. 'Maybe it's just Mamoru with a ponytail, yeah that's got to be it!' She mentally tried to convince herself. There was a picture of Seiya singing with words from 'Nagareboshi He' around it. "What the."  
  
"Are you having fun?" Usagi asked while standing above Minako. Minako jumped about a mile when she realized she had been caught. "I can't believe you snooped in my stuff!" Usagi grabbed her belongings back.  
  
"Gomen, I was just curious." Minako smiled and dimpled her cheek with her finger. "Besides, now that I know that I'm not the only one that has seen them and knows they're back! I don't have to keep it to myself any more!" She got a far off dreamy look in her eyes. "Isn't it great? We get to see the Three Lights again."  
  
"WHAT!?" Usagi screeched and noticed the teacher walking back into the room. She looked around to make sure both girls were still there, grabbed something from her desk and walked back out.  
  
"Do you think they'll find their princess soon?" Minako still had that day dreaming look in her eyes.  
  
By now Usagi was completely confused. They were back? They were back and they contacted Minako? They were back and Seiya didn't come to see her? Did he forget about her?  
  
"Usagi are you listening to me?" Minako broke in bringing Usagi back from her thoughts.  
  
"I'm sorry Minako. I'm just not feeling very well."  
  
"Not feeling very well? The god of the universe has come to see the beautiful Minako Aino and you're not feeling very well?"  
  
Usagi could only assume that she was referring to Yaten being the 'god of the universe', she had to let out a slight giggle at that. "When are you going to see him again?" Usagi asked hoping she could tag along and see them too.  
  
"Well I'm sure they told you that it was a secret that they were here too, right?" Minako waited for Usagi's reaction, when none came she just naturally assumed that they had. "Yaten said that he would find me when he needed to."  
  
"Minako? What are you doing tonight?" Usagi asked slyly.  
  
"Nothing much why?"  
  
"Well do you mind if I sleep over at your house? Shingo has really been getting on my nerves lately and I need a break." Usagi looked up at the clock and realized that it was almost time to go.  
  
"That would be awesome!" Minako stood up and was ready to run out the door as soon as the bell rang.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Why can't I leave?" I demanded as Helios stood blocking my path to the door.  
  
"Wait until Kakyuu gets back."  
  
"NO! Will you look at this damn outfit I'm stuck wearing? Huh?! Do you want to trade?" I said holding up a piece of my skirt like it was a piece of trash.  
  
"Hell no!" Helios said turning his nose at my uniform.  
  
"Well then let me get new clothes." I stomped my foot in a mini temper tantrum.  
  
"With what?" He asked with a smug expression on his face. I realized that I was defeated, my little journey didn't supply me with the proper means. "Why don't you just sit down and help me come up with a plan?"  
  
"I thought you guys already had a plan?"  
  
"Will you just sit down?" He rolled his eyes and sat on the couch.  
  
"This sucks!" I crossed my arms.  
  
"What sucks?"  
  
"What sucks? You want to know what sucks?" I asked sarcastically. "First of all I can't get home. Second I'm stuck in this apartment and third I'm stuck here with YOU!"  
  
He laughed a bit at me. "Am I really that bad?" He asked with pleading eyes.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Would you rather be stuck here with Seiya?"  
  
I calmed down a bit and started to drool once again. "I'd rather be stuck anywhere with Seiya."  
  
Realizing that this was the wrong way to go with the conversation Helios quickly tried to change the subject. "Where is your home anyway?"  
  
"Huh?" I snapped out of my daze.  
  
Making weird hand gestures, that I can only assume was his mock way of doing sign language and speaking really slowly he asked his question again.  
  
"I heard you!" I snapped realizing he was making fun of me. Could I tell him that I was from the REAL world? I guess I had no choice, if I wanted their help at getting home then I had to tell him. "Do you watch television?" I asked.  
  
"No, it rots your brain!"  
  
"Well that would have explained a lot!" I huffed at him and watched his expression turn sour. "Anyway, what I'm about to tell you is going to completely change the way you look at things." He cocked his eyebrow at me and I continued. "This is all just a television show. I'm from the real world and I watch you guys on tv. I was watching 'Sailor Moon', that's the show's name, when I was sick, my cat tripped me and the next thing I knew I was here. What do you think?"  
  
I looked at Helios to find his reaction and immediately I saw him rolling around on the floor laughing. "That's a good one!"  
  
"I'm serious!" He continued to laugh at my feet. "If you're not going to believe me then how are you going to get me home?"  
  
Helios soon calmed his laughter and climbed back up on the couch with me. "Do you understand how crazy that sounds?"  
  
"What that you guys are all fictional cartoon characters?"  
  
"Umm yeah."  
  
"Yeah, but you've got to believe me and you've got to get me back home."  
  
"And what if we can't?" He became completely serious. "Would it really be that bad to be here?"  
  
"Are you kidding me? You guys have a new evil force trying to take over the world here every five minutes. Do you really think I'd want to stay here? Besides, don't you want to go home too?"  
  
He looked down at his hands and sighed. "I have no need to go home, there's nothing for me there."  
  
Kakyuu opened the door and walked in carrying a bag. "Here, I got these for you." She set the bag down near me. "I see you two are being civil for once." She smiled as she continued down the hall to her room.  
  
"What's this?" I questioned looking through the bag.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" Helios mocked me and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Shut up." I said pulling some clothes out of the bag. It was a pair of jeans and a shirt. "Great! I have some new clothes to wear!" I said holding the garments up to take a look at them. I suddenly brought them down to rest in my lap. "Wait a minute, you knew she was buying me clothes and that's why you wouldn't let me leave huh?"  
  
Helios just smiled. Kakyuu came back in the room smiling at the fact that I enjoyed her surprise. "Helios reminded me of how you were complaining about your uniform yesterday and asked me to go out to get you clothes. I have no idea what Earthlings would wear or what's in style so he told me what to get you and I figured you were the same size as me."  
  
"Thank you Kakyuu!" I smiled and stood up to walk into the other room to change. As much as it pained me to say it I turned around and addressed Helios. "And thank you too Helios."  
  
"You're welcome, even though you're a. Ow!" Kakyuu kicked him in the shin to shut him up and just smiled at me.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"I've definitely picked up Kakyuu's energy here in Tokyo but I can't get a lock on her specific location. She must be putting a block up to disguise herself." Taiki said as he looked up at his companions.  
  
"So it's true, she did just come here to get us to follow her." Yaten said pushing his rice around in the bowl.  
  
"Well if we're going to be here for a while don't you think we should make ourselves public?"  
  
Yaten just looked at Taiki strangely. "Do you really want to deal with all of that again? I mean the fans and all."  
  
"Hey it could be fun, I mean it's not everyday we get to pretend to be superstars and neglect our senshi duties." Seiya smiled. "What are you two doing tonight?"  
  
"The same thing you should be doing stupid!" Yaten hissed at him. "Looking for the Princess."  
  
"I'm telling you, she's not going to let us find her, so there's really no sense in looking for her now is there?" Seiya smiled down at the silver haired man.  
  
"I think we should make ourselves public, while we were gone a lot of our money was taken away due to taxes and we won't have that much left if we don't find some means to support ourselves." Taiki set his silver wear down and finished his drink.  
  
Yaten and Seiya both nodded their heads. "Good then I'll go to our agent tomorrow, but you know what that also means don't you?"  
  
"School." Yaten and Seiya said in unison.  
  
"Yup!" Taiki grinned an unbelievably large grin for his character and it almost scared the other two.  
  
"Well then I'll be going." Yaten said waving as he walked towards the door.  
  
Once he was out of hearing range Taiki began to speak. "Where the hell do you think he's going?"  
  
"I don't know but I'm going to find out!" Seiya said getting up to trail Yaten.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Why did Minako's house have to have soooo many stairs? Usagi huffed and puffed (as she blew her house down, no wait.) as she walked up the stairs. Finally she made it down the hall to Minako's room. "You could have helped you know!" She let her bags and pillow fall to the ground as she feigned a fainting spell on Minako's bed.  
  
"Oh come on Miss Champion of Justice!"  
  
Usagi looked up and glared at Minako. Usagi got up and got out the movie she had brought over. "So. when do you think you'll see Yaten again?" She questioned Minako with narrowed eyes.  
  
Minako sighed and looked out the window. "Soon I hope."  
  
Usagi rolled her eyes, she had been expecting a serious answer, although it was beyond her why! "Why do you think Kakyuu would come here to Earth?"  
  
"I don't know, and from what Yaten has told me they don't know either!" Minako turned from looking out the window to stare at Usagi who was putting the video in. "Didn't they tell you anything when you saw them?"  
  
Usagi dropped the video. "Uh. uh. To tell you the truth."  
  
"You didn't see them did you?" Minako asked shocked.  
  
"Well no. but." Usagi fumbled with the movie some more.  
  
"USAGI!!" Minako yelled. "That means by telling you I broke a promise to Yaten." She looked on the verge of tears.  
  
Usagi stopped what she was doing and tried to comfort Minako. "Hey, we don't have to tell him that you told me. He doesn't have to know at all!"  
  
"That would mean that I broke a promise and I lied to him." Minako sniffled in hurt. "Oh Yaten can you ever forgive your beautiful angel Minako?" She begged her ceiling.  
  
Usagi stood next to her with her hand on her shoulder and sweat dropped. "Yeah, I think I'll get over it Minako." They heard a voice from the window.  
  
"YATEN!!!" Minako screeched and rushed to the window. Usagi looked on wide-eyed. She really was telling the truth, she was shocked, but what was even more unbelievable was that Yaten actually came to see Minako and submit himself to this torture!  
  
"Hello Usagi!" Yaten said once he was inside the window.  
  
Usagi smiled and gave him a hug, and yes, she noticed the death stares she was getting from Minako for touching her Yaten. "Minako's mom will kill you if she finds you here." She giggled.  
  
Yaten sweat dropped. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!" Minako said holding up a victory pose.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."  
  
"I found your Princess and I'm holding her for ransom in my closet." Minako smiled like it was no big deal.  
  
"Eh?" Yaten and Usagi looked at her strangely.  
  
"Yup I found her and I'll give her back if you go on a date with me!" He hugged Yaten's arm.  
  
Yaten heard something that resembled laughter from outside the window he began mumbling something about Minako being nuts and headed for the open exit.  
  
"Wait you can't leave!" Minako whined.  
  
Yaten looked out the window and saw a black ponytail hanging from the tree. He was set to leave until he saw this and seeing how Usagi was here he figured he'd have a little fun. "You heard Usagi, your mom will kill me if she finds me." He smiled. "Why don't you come with me?" He offered looking from one to the other.  
  
Usagi shrugged at Minako and Minako practically hit the roof but suddenly calmed down. "Usagi can't come on our date with us!" She pouted.  
  
"It's not a date!" Yaten shook his head and again he heard the laughter outside.  
  
"Where are the others?" Usagi asked. "Seiya and Taiki did come with you right?"  
  
Seiya smiled at the fact his Odango asked for him. 'Maybe she did miss me?'  
  
"Yeah they're here, but they're just sitting around. Don't worry you'll see them, we're going to be going back to school on Monday." Some choice obscenities escaped his lips.  
  
"That's great so now I don't have to worry about keeping this huge secret any more!" Minako was ecstatic.  
  
"Yeah, you should have seen her today, she was seriously the happiest person to walk the face of this Earth!" Usagi got some things together in her bag.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"You know, if you could some how get that horn off of the top of your head I'm sure no one would recognize you." I said to Helios. I was going stircrazy in this apartment and wanted to leave.  
  
"Hello? Of course people would recognize me! Are you forgetting that all of the senshi know me?" Helios was stuffing his face with cookies yet again.  
  
"Not really, they saw you the most as Pegasus. The only saw you for like what? Five minutes as a guy?"  
  
"True. I don't know if Kakyuu will let us go out though." He said looking over his shoulder at Kakyuu reading in the corner.  
  
"Well how are we supposed to make things happen if we can't leave the damn apartment?" I asked.  
  
"Are you always this pissy?"  
  
"No, just when I'm around you!" I stood up and started walking towards the door. "Are you coming?" I asked and then quickly glanced at Kakyuu to see if she saw what was going on.  
  
Helios closed his eyes and looked as though he was concentrating very hard on something and suddenly the horn on his head disappeared. "Can you see it?" He asked pointing to the top of his head.  
  
I shook my head no and waved for him to follow me. Just as I was closing the door behind myself I saw Kakyuu look up from her book and smile. "So what do you want to do?" I asked him as we rode the elevator.  
  
"Dance?"  
  
"Nope, I don't dance." I said shooting him a look.  
  
"Go to the mall?"  
  
"Nope, I hate the mall."  
  
"What the hell do you like to do then?" He was certainly frustrated with me now.  
  
"You look better without that giant horn."  
  
"I thought it gave me character!" He smiled proudly.  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing, let's go get food!" I said rubbing my stomach.  
  
"Now at least that's something we can both agree on!" He said smiling.  
  
We walked out of the apartment building and on to the street. I stretched my arms out and breathed in the fresh night air. When I came back to my senses I saw Helios hiding behind me like a little kid. "What the hell are you doing?" I asked turning around.  
  
"Look." He pointed to the sidewalk across the street. It was Usagi, Minako and Yaten walking.  
  
"So?" I asked.  
  
"Look behind them." He pointed further behind to a figure with black hair.  
  
"Seiya.." I started to drool again.  
  
"Snap out of it. We should follow them!"  
  
"You don't have to tell me twice!" I said as I started across the street. I must not have been looking where I was going and ran into some one in the process and I was knocked on my but. "Ow!"  
  
"Are you alright?" Helios helped me up.  
  
The man I bumped into wasn't paying any attention to me and instead seemed to be trying to keep his eye on something moving up the street. I gasped when I realized who it was. "Mamoru." I whispered. I never liked this guy so I decided now was as good of time as any to take my vengeance out on him. With one quick move I swept my foot to take his legs out from under him.  
  
"What did you do that for?" He asked laying on the ground.  
  
"That's what you get for being a stupid jerk!" I yelled down at him. Helios snickered a bit and it calmed me down. We walked away leaving Mamoru lying confused on the pavement.  
  
"I take it you're not too fond of Mamoru? I bet you he's following them." Helios said trying to get my mind back on the task at hand.  
  
"Well we'll just have to make sure that he has the hardest possible time doing it, now won't we." I smiled back and noticed that Helios was doing the same. 


	7. seven

Gomen nasai!! I can't believe how long it's taken me to get this chapter out. Thank you all for your great e-mails!! ^_^ You really know how to brighten a girl's day! To SailorV thanks for the support and pretty much riding my ass to get this chapter out! *sweat drops * To Moon Venus-chan, Yes, I do drool that much in public! Hahahahaaaa… No just kidding, I don't wear a bib or anything, but if I saw Seiya… LOOK OUT!! @_@ Wow this got long, especially since I wasn't planning on writing anything! To Trigun, if you don't return my toaster I'm going to knock you on your butt!!!  
  
Part VII  
  
Yaten lead the girls down the street knowing that Seiya would be unable to resist following them. He wanted to make him mad but at the same time he didn't want him to talk to Usagi either. He remembered what happened last time he was forced to leave her and he couldn't even contemplate what would happen this time.  
  
"Yaten!" Minako waved. He hadn't noticed the girls had stopped near a shop. The lights were out in the store but a pale light still lit up the window to display the elegant merchandise. "Yaten when you propose to me I would like a ring like that one!" She pointed into the store while Yaten and Usagi just sweat dropped.  
  
Minako's hands were pressed against the glass as she peered longingly in at the ring. Usagi let out a slight giggle but then noticed a familiar pair of eyes reflecting back at her in the glass. Yaten, being able to see Usagi's reflection, noticed her surprise and spun around at the same time she did to see who, or what was behind her. There was no one. Usagi looked down in disappointment.  
  
"Usako!" Mamoru came up to the three in front of the window. "Usako, what are you doing out this late at night?"  
  
"Hello Mamo-chan. I just came out for a walk with Minako and Yaten." Usagi smiled seeing nothing wrong with the situation.  
  
"Can I talk to you?" He asked looking questionably at Minako and Yaten.  
  
Yaten figured that it was safe to leave Usagi alone with Mamoru, it's not like Seiya would dare approach her when she was with him, or would he….?  
  
Minako took this as the perfect opportunity to drag Yaten off alone and I took this as my cue to get closer.  
  
"Come on Helios!! We have to get closer!" I screeched pulling him behind me. I had seen Seiya come up behind the group and he spotted Mamoru about the same time I did and made his retreat.  
  
"Don't pull. It's your fault that we lost track of Mamoru anyway!! If you weren't too busy googling over Seiya then we wouldn't have slipped up!" Helios snorted crossing his arms.  
  
"You know, yelling at me now isn't going to change the fact of the matter!"  
  
"And what is the fact of the matter?"  
  
"We have to get Mamoru away from Usagi!" I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "God, it's so hard to get through to you sometimes!"  
  
"Look who's talking!" He smiled at me, which I didn't exactly appreciate.  
  
Mamoru lead Usagi to a bench near the bus stop and watched Minako and Yaten walk off in the distance, they weren't too far away however that Usagi was worried about losing them. I spotted Seiya standing not too far away from myself eyeing the same situation, and probably with the same disgust too!  
  
"Usako…" Mamoru began as he got down before her in a kneeling position. "I know we were going to wait until you got out of high school but this just feels right."  
  
"Oh my god!" My hand went up over my mouth.  
  
"What?" Helios questioned.  
  
"He's going to propose to her! We have to stop this quick!" I said looking around for a plan when suddenly the solution presented itself. In the distance I noticed Seiya slumping and beginning to walk away. "Come on!" I quickly grabbed Helios' arm and pulled him in Seiya's direction.  
  
"Ow! You're hurting me!" Helios cried as I drug him across the street.  
  
"Seiya!" I waved and continued to pull Helios along like a rag doll. To tell you the truth I was really enjoying being able to tear him around like that, it was pay back for the on slaw of rude comments that always seemed to pour out of his mouth.  
  
Seiya froze still and I could see in his eyes that he was contemplating running away from me. Yeah, yeah, I know, I did look kind of like a circus freak girl but hey, this was my mission here! "Come with me for a minute please." I asked ever so nicely.  
  
Seiya looked questionably from me to Helios who just shrugged in a reply. Without waiting for an answer I grabbed Seiya by his arm and proceeded to drag him in much the same way I had done to Helios, (except I was a lot more gentle with Seiya! ^_~)  
  
Without further ado I lead them to my target. "Hey Usagi!" I screamed as the three of us came running up to her. I purposely stood right in front of Mamoru and blocked Usagi's view of him.  
  
"Morgan!" Usagi's face lit up with excitement and she jumped on me almost immediately. Helios shot me a funny look as to why she had just called me Morgan but dismissed it. "Why aren't you staying with Setsuna anymore?"  
  
"It's a long story." I said waving off her comment, I couldn't tell her the truth yet! "Look who I bumped into though?" I said pulling Seiya up like some magic trick from behind me.  
  
"Oi Odango." Seiya said with a charming smile as he stepped closer to her. I don't think he was expecting the giant hug that he received from the blond because they were both almost knocked to the ground.  
  
"Oh Seiya!!! You're back!!! I've missed you soooo much." Usagi was still clutching on to him while I just stood back and admired my handy work.  
  
"Um… excuse me…" Mamoru said from the ground behind us. Helios moved a little closer to me cutting him off and blocking him completely from Usagi's view and gave me a smile.  
  
I smiled back showing that I appreciated the help, finally.  
  
Yaten and Minako noticed the commotion and before long Yaten was cursing the situation under his breath. "Damn it Seiya…" His words earned him a confused look from Minako who had no idea what was going through his head.  
  
"Morgan!" Minako waved and came up next to Usagi.  
  
"Hey Minako." I waved hoping that she didn't tackle me the way Usagi had.  
  
Yaten came up behind Minako giving Seiya the evil eye but then turned his attention to the bewildered man getting up and brushing himself off. "Hello Mamoru." He smiled at Mamoru.  
  
"Usako, I need to speak with you… now." Mamoru said breaking through the barrier that Helios and I had set up.  
  
"But Mamo-chan…" She protested.  
  
"Hey, Mamoru?" I spoke up to get his attention.  
  
"What are you doing?" Helios hissed at me under his breath.  
  
I shot him a smile and continued. "I would really appreciate it if Usagi could stay and hang out, I mean we're not going to be in town very long." An evil grin made it's way to my lips. "Besides, don't you remember what happened to you earlier?"  
  
Helios snickered again but recovered quickly when he realized the death glare that Mamoru was giving him. Mamoru narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you threatening me?"  
  
"Mamo-chan! Of course she's not threatening you! That was rude!" Usagi linked arms with me and turned her back to Mamoru. "Come on Morgan, I'll see you tomorrow Mamoru!"  
  
'Wow! She called him Mamoru.' I happily thought to myself. I glanced over to see Seiya's reaction to all of this and he just stood there flabbergasted but then a weird smile came to his face.  
  
"So who is your friend here?" Usagi said once they were out of Mamoru's range.  
  
"Huh?" I asked looking down on her, it was amazing how short she really was in person, or was I just tall?  
  
Usagi pointed over to Helios who was following behind us with his hands in his pockets. "Him?" I signaled my thumb in his direction, he seemed to notice too because he looked at us as though we were talking about him, which we were, but that's beside the point.  
  
Helios came up to come in on our conversation, Seiya was busy getting an earful from Yaten so Usagi had to keep herself occupied until she could speak with him. "Yeah, him. Aren't you going to introduce us?" Minako chirped as she walked with us.  
  
"Oh yeah, he's… umm…" I couldn't tell him that he was Helios, that one seemed a little obvious.  
  
"What's the matter? Did you forget my name already?" Helios mocked me. "My name is Aisoku." He smiled. The girls giggled and I shot him an annoyed look. I knew what that name meant, cute boy.  
  
"So are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" Usagi asked innocently.  
  
"WHAT! NO WAY!" We both said at the same time. I looked at Helios and noticed his face turned a light shade of pink and I could feel a heat in my cheeks as well.  
  
"Seiya-baka! I thought you weren't going to get involved with her this time?" Yaten cursed as they followed the girls and the guy with white hair.  
  
Seiya didn't look at Yaten but instead just stared at Usagi's hair. "It wasn't my fault, that chick drug me over to her." He said signaling to the girl they didn't know. "Besides, I was going to have to talk to her sooner or later, I mean we are going to their school and all now."  
  
Yaten sighed, it was inevitable after all. "I'm just worried about you that's all." He said as he looked down at the pavement.  
  
A smile came to Seiya's face. "Thanks." It wasn't often that Yaten admitted that he cared or that he showed he was concerned about anyone but himself. The two boys came to a halt when the realized the group ahead of them had stopped and there were two very red faced people standing there.  
  
"Geesh you guys is was just a question." Minako waved us off. "Hey Morgan, what are you doing tonight? Do you want to come back over to my house with Usagi and I to sleep over?"  
  
I didn't know what I should say, it would be a good chance for me to try to lean Usagi's mind towards Seiya but I didn't even want to think about what would happen to me if the outers caught me again. Suddenly I was flying towards Minako. "Sure she'd love to!" Helios shoved me towards them offering me up as fresh meat.  
  
"Great!" Usagi cheered. "Where do you live? We'll stop by your house on the way there to pick up some of your stuff."  
  
"Um sure…" I said trying to think of what in the world I would pick up.  
  
"Well girls we're heading home for the night." Yaten said as he and Seiya departed themselves from the group.  
  
"Seiya wait!" Usagi called as they retreated. They hadn't gotten too far away and she made it to them easily. "I'm really glad that you're back, I've really missed you and I can't wait to catch up with you."  
  
"I've missed you too Odango." Seiya smiled while Yaten just observed the sparks between the two.  
  
"Hey, if you're not busy tomorrow we could hang out." Usagi fiddled with her fingers.  
  
"I'm never too busy to hang out with you."  
  
Usagi blushed but recovered and looked up at both of them. "Great! Give me a call! Ja!"  
  
"What was that all about?" Yaten asked as they watched Usagi run back to the group.  
  
"Beats the hell out of me but I can't say I'm complaining!" Seiya smirked and turned his sight back to the direction that they had previously been heading in. "Hanging out with Odango…"  
  
Usagi came up to us after her 'private' talk with the Lights. "Ready to go?" She asked and we were on our way to the town house. Helios and I walked ahead while Minako and Usagi strolled behind us.  
  
"Aishoku?" I said with a look.  
  
"Yeah, I think it's fitting." He said as though he was proud of himself. "Besides, I just wanted you to admit it."  
  
"Oh shut up!" I huffed and felt my cheeks get a little warm. Was I blushing? He was kind of cute…  
  
Helios laughed at my gesture once again. "We can't let them in you know."  
  
"I'm well aware of that. Kakyuu would have a conniption!" This odd mental picture of Kakyuu flipping out and throwing everything in the apartment at us came to mind. 'Not a pretty picture.'  
  
"Are you mad that I offered you up?"  
  
"No, I guess it's better this way. While I'm working though you should too." I looked at him seriously.  
  
"What are you talking about? What do you expect me to do ask Seiya and Yaten for a sleep over? I don't think so!"  
  
"No." I said as I looked forward and spotted the town house. "Work on a way to get me home." I said with a sad note to my voice.  
  
"I will." Helios must have sensed the tone because he was actually being nice and no insults or mockings came out of his mouth.  
  
"This is where you live?" Usagi said with wide eyes looking up the building. "This is incredible."  
  
"Yeah it's really nice, I'd invite you up but…"  
  
"But her mother is sleeping and she isn't very happy when she is woken up." Helios covered for me with a smile.  
  
"So why are you going in with her?" Minako asked as she noticed Helios and I heading in together.  
  
"I live here." He said plainly.  
  
"You two live together?" Minako wasn't getting any of this.  
  
"No, my family lives in this building too, that's how I met Morgan." He was very proud of himself for coming up with that so quickly.  
  
"Oh…"  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Seiya hesitantly picked up the receiver of the phone. It was Saturday and he was supposed to meet up with Usagi. His hesitation wasn't coming from him not wanting to call her but instead from his heart. "Don't be stupid Seiya, you can be her friend, you can handle this." He told himself before he brought the phone to his ear and dialed the numbers.  
  
"Moshi moshi." The voice on the other end answered.  
  
"Odango?" He asked hoping that it was her and not her mother.  
  
"Seiya!" Usagi said ecstatically on the other end. "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning. So what are you doing today?"  
  
"Nothing much, I was waiting for you to call."  
  
'She was waiting for me to call, she was waiting for me to start her day…' "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a picnic with me?"  
  
"That sounds great!" The butterflies in her stomach were almost too much to bear, she couldn't keep this up much longer even though she was hardly saying anything. 'I don't remember feeling this was last time he was here. Duh! You didn't know you loved him last time he was here!'  
  
"I'll be over to your house in a half hour, ja ne Odango."  
  
"Ja." Usagi hurriedly hung up the phone and flopped on her bed.  
  
"You look like a love-sick teenager!" Luna jumped up next to her. "I take it that was 'Mr Wonderful'?"  
  
"Yeah and he's taking me on a picnic today. Oh Luna isn't this great that they're back?" Usagi said staring up at her ceiling. The sweet spring air was blowing in from the window next to her setting her thin curtains in motion.  
  
"Yeah, just wonderful, don't forget Mamoru though."  
  
"Oh why do you always have to ruin my fun?"  
  
"Just be careful OK?" Luna knew Usagi's confusion about what she should do but she also knew that there was nothing she could do to help guide her now either. There was no going against what the heart wanted and Usagi's heart wanted Seiya. She just didn't want to think about what would happen to her future, everyone's future.  
  
The same spring breeze that brought Usagi's good mood also brought Seiya to her front door with two spies not far behind him. Before Seiya could even knock on the door Usagi was standing in its place. "Ready?" She asked as she closed the door behind her. "Trust me, you don't want to see the circus that's going on in there right now." She smiled as Seiya laughed.  
  
They walked side by side down the walk and the two spies set in motion behind them. "So Seiya, where exactly are we going?" Usagi asked looking over at him.  
  
"I have no idea, you're the one who wanted to hang out."  
  
Usagi got a hurt look on her face. "You don't want to hang out with me?"  
  
'Could she be any further from the truth?' Seiya thought as he looked at the sky. His lips curled into a smile and he looked down and over at the blond. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do."  
  
This answer seemed to suffice Usagi and she was soon back to her chipper self. "I know, let's have a picnic!"  
  
"Is that all you ever think of? Food?" Seiya smiled at her.  
  
Usagi suddenly felt stupid and looked down. "Are you making fun of me?"  
  
"Gomen, gomen, but I wouldn't be me if I wasn't, ne?" He winked at her, he figured that if he made fun of her a bit then maybe it would take his mind off of his true feelings. But it was hard, even when he made fun of her she looked so cute.  
  
Usagi had to admit that she did like his flirtatious teasing but for some reason she was so self-conscious right now. She smiled up at him realizing that she was overreacting she kept in step. An odd feeling crept up on her and caused her to suddenly stop.  
  
"What is it?" Seiya asked concerned as he looked from her face to the area around them and noticed nothing unusual.  
  
Usagi looked behind her and caused her two spies to jump quickly and conceal themselves. "I think we're being followed." She shook the idea out of her head and laughed it off. "I bet it's just because I'm hungry."  
  
"Maybe you did your odangos too tightly." Seiya patted her bun and smiled at her.  
  
I let out a long sigh as the threat of having a heart attack passed. "They're on to us." I looked over at Helios who was stuffing donuts in his face. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I missed breakfast!"  
  
"So did I and you don't see me making a pig of myself in some shrubbery!" I stood up and brushed myself off.  
  
Helios polished off the last of the donuts save one. "Would you like the last one?" He said with a sneaky smile.  
  
"What did you do to it? Lick it?" I questioned narrowing my eyes. No way would he just be nice to me out of the blue.  
  
"Nope, I swear." He said holding the donut a little closer to me.  
  
My hand came up to grab it. "Ariga…" I started but then saw him swiftly take it away and shove it in his mouth. He was having a hard time keeping the donut in his mouth while trying to control his laughter. "Why you…" That was it, I had had it with him and decided now was pay back time so I jumped on him.  
  
Helios' eyes went wide as he saw me lunge at him in attack mode, he was too surprised to react and was soon knocked to the ground. "Go…m…en…" He laughed at my pitiful attempt at a come back.  
  
"You two aren't going to get anywhere that way." A voice said from above us.  
  
"Kakyuu!" I said removing myself from Helios and standing up while he was just now getting his laughter under control.  
  
"Do you even know where they went?" She asked tapping her foot impatiently. Helios and I looked down in shame. "Well here's a hint." She pointed to the bus that Seiya was helping Usagi on to.  
  
I realized we were going to be left behind if we didn't high-tail it out of the bushes and get on that bus, but before I could do anything Helios was dragging me in the direction of the bus.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"She must have met up with Helios and Kakyuu then." Michiru thought out loud as she focused on a vase on the other side of the room.  
  
"I'm telling you, she deliberately kept me from speaking to Usagi…" Mamoru sniffled like a little baby.(- Yeah!! That's for all you flamers out there!! evil grin) "And she tripped me too!" He pouted and crossed his arms.  
  
"We have to keep her away from Koneko, her and those Starlights." Haruka looked in Mamoru's direction, he was eyeing her giant sandwich. "You tried to propose to her and she rejected you?"  
  
"No, I didn't get a chance to finish before that retarded, dumbass, blond from another dimension bitch named Morgan or Odango, which ever you want to call her, came and butted in with her cheesy boyfriend and Seiya."  
  
Setsuna let out a slight laugh at Mamoru's description of their little pest. "Well what are you waiting for Mamoru?"  
  
Mamoru eyed Haruka's sandwich one last time and then looked up to Haruka who just shook her head. "Fine, I'm leaving." He said before getting up.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
We followed Seiya and Usagi around all day. I felt like I was on a stake- out without the coffee and stale donuts. "This is so boring!" Helios whined.  
  
I shot him another annoyed look. "You just don't know how to appreciate romance." I said sharply.  
  
Helios sighed and looked to the side. "It's a joke." He said lightly and I almost didn't hear him.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked not taking my eyes off the couple in front of us. We were sitting at a table on the patio of a quaint restaurant in Tokyo. Usagi seemed oblivious to everything but Seiya so I didn't fear getting caught. "Look at how happy those two are." I said gesturing in their direction.  
  
"Yeah, they're happy now, but what happens when he has to leave? What happens when she rejects him and tells him that they can never be together?" He huffed as he continued to push things around on his plate.  
  
I looked from the couple to my now severely depressing partner. "Hello? That's why we're here, to prevent that from happening. Did you forget everything?"  
  
"No, but who's to say that it's going to work out?"  
  
I slumped down in my chair, he was right. "I don't know how everything is going to turn out. I'd like to believe that if Seiya and Usagi get together it will complete the fairy tale but that doesn't make it true." The breeze picked up and I felt a shiver at the thought. "You miss her don't you?"  
  
Helios didn't answer me right away but then I saw his head pick up. "They're leaving." He said flatly and without looking at me. I watched him get up and followed a moment later.  
  
"Odango." Seiya said as they walked through the city. People seemed a little calmer and in higher spirits today, perhaps it was because it was the weekend. "I had fun hanging out with you today." He smiled.  
  
"Me too." Usagi smiled up at him. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you though."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"Why are you guys here? I mean don't get me wrong I'm thrilled that you are, but is there something wrong?" Usagi seemed genuinely concerned.  
  
Seiya sighed as he thought about the events that brought them back to Earth. "Not too long ago the princess asked Yaten, Taiki and I to return to Earth. We were completely confused as to why she would ask that of us and refused to leave her side." Seiya looked at Usagi to see what she thought of his story so far. There seemed to be a hurt expression on her face. He knew that it was because he had just, in not so many words, told her that he had refused a chance to see her. "The Princess was missing when we awoke the next morning and since then we've been searching for her."  
  
"So you're only here to look for your Princess again and you are to leave us after that?" Usagi looked near tears.  
  
Seiya felt a sharp pain in his heart at the sight of her. "Odango, you know that we don't belong here. We are destined to protect the Princess and Kinmoku, and that destiny has nothing to do with Earth."  
  
Destiny, there was that damn word again. Usagi started fuming inside at the mere mention of the word. Screw destiny! But she couldn't… "I understand." She muttered putting her head down.  
  
"How 'bout this? We'll still come back and visit you guys." Seiya said trying to give her good mood back to her but also to tell himself that this wouldn't be the last time he could see her.  
  
Usagi nodded her head and they continued walking not too far away from Usagi's house. Seiya started chuckling to himself. "You want to hear something funny that Yaten told me?" Usagi looked up at him. "He said that Minako told him she was going to find our Princess first and keep her hostage from him."  
  
Usagi laughed along with him. "Yeah, that sounds like Minako." 'Not a bad idea!' She thought to herself.  
  
I chuckled a little at Seiya's statement but then noticed a very pissed off Haruka heading their way. "Shit look!" I pointed in their direction to Helios.  
  
"Uh… uh… I can handle taking on Mamoru but Haruka is a different story!" He said backing away with his hands in front of him.  
  
"We have to stop them!" I thought out loud as Haruka neared the two. Suddenly without even thinking about it I ran out from my hiding spot and brought myself right in front of Haruka.  
  
"What the hell?" Haruka said as she noticed who I was. "Get back here!" She called after me as I suddenly took off again and gained her chase.  
  
'Shit! I'm gonna get caught and get pounded!' Was all I could think as I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. There was no way in hell I was going to out run Haruka and unbelievable morbid images of what she would do to me began to pass through my head when I suddenly saw two arms hanging out of the tree ahead of me. Without questioning them I grabbed on and was hoisted up before Haruka knew what happened.  
  
"You can run pretty fast." Helios snickered at me.  
  
I put my finger up in front of my face to sush him. "Do you want her to beat you too?" I asked. Haruka ran right below us without even slowing down, we soon saw Michiru hot on her heels. "That was close!" I said knowing that we were in the clear.  
  
Helios cleared his throat and crossed his arms. "Ahem?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't I even get a thank you?" He asked.  
  
I could feel the smile growing on my face. "Sure, I'll give you a pat on the back." I said as I slapped him so hard he fell out of the tree and landed on a couple below.  
  
"Aisoku?" I heard a familiar voice say from below. It was Usagi.  
  
I jumped down from the branch I was sitting on to join them on the ground. "That freakin hurt!" Helios yelled at me when he saw me standing next to him. I just smiled.  
  
"There's my guardian angel now." Seiya smiled at me and I almost lost it, but then I quickly thought about what he had said. 'Me, his guardian angel?' Then it dawned on me that he must have seen the whole seen with the outraged Haruka.  
  
"What were you guys doing in the tree?" Usagi asked helping Helios up when she realized no one else was going to.  
  
"Um… um…" He scratched his head.  
  
"What did your fall knock your marbles loose?" I nudged him. "We were bird watching!"  
  
"That was a stupid answer." Helios hissed so that I was the only one that could hear him.  
  
Usagi just looked at us with a raised eyebrow but Seiya already seemed to know why we were there. "Well ja!" Helios waved as he started walking away.  
  
I stepped up to Seiya to whisper something in his ear. "Kakyuu says hi." I pulled back with a smile and then turned to catch up to Helios, but not before I saw the furious expression on Usagi's face. I had done that for two reasons. 1. To let Seiya know that I was important to his mission so that they would trust us to some extent. And 2. To bring Usagi's emotions to the surface and make her realize her jealousy.  
  
Seiya just stood there and stared after us.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Helios come here for a minute will you?" Kakyuu called from the living room. When he came to her she addressed him again. "Where's Odango?"  
  
"She's sleeping, she got quite a work out from Haruka today." He laughed to himself. "Why?"  
  
Kakyuu pointed to the television screen in front of her. "I never watch TV and when I finally give in a sit down, look what I find."  
  
"Is that who I think it is?" He asked incredulously. "What is she doing there?"  
  
"It appears that our little Odango isn't from this world, it seems that she is a fictional character from this TV show that has somehow made her way to our world." Kakyuu voiced her hypothesis to Helios.  
  
"Masaka… She told me the other day that she was from the 'real' world… How can we tell her that she is really the fictional character?" Helios for once actually felt bad for the pest he had for a partner. "I'm not telling her." He said coming out of his thoughts.  
  
Kakyuu just looked at him. "You have to."  
  
"No way! We'll just tell her that we can't get her back and never tell her about this."  
  
"What are you going to keep her from watching TV for the rest of her life?" Kakyuu mused.  
  
Helios turned from her to look upon the TV screen near them. There was a shot of Odango smiling and laughing at something funny one of the other characters did. A smile broke onto his face. "She really is a pain…" He laughed.  
  
Kakyuu saw what was happening and just gave him a weak smile. She hadn't planned on this. "Maybe she'll just go home the same way she had gotten here when everything is done."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
~@~@~@~ 


	8. eight

*does giant cheesy wave * Hello again! See I'm not always that bad at getting new chapters out. ^_~ Oh and by the way, I've never watched Gundam Wing… *dodges the rotten fruit being thrown at her * I've heard it was really good though… but I guess that tells you that I have no idea who Duo is… Gomen… Don't worry, I love the outers, they are my favorites after the Starlights. I'll take care of them later, right now Mamoru and them serve as good comic relief. Hahahahaa… If Haruka only knew what I was doing to her!  
  
Thanks for the toaster offer LIR… You know I can't answer your questions, that would ruin it all for you. ^_~  
  
Thanks for the big kisses Girl8!! By the way, don't mind Cookie Monster… *sweat drops * I'm sure she didn't really mean that!  
  
Sorry for the long AN… but there's one more part. There are yuri hints towards the end, but nothing graphic that would make you people that are uncomfortable with it's stomach turn, but hey, consider this your fair warning. (Really there's only a little, so little you probably won't even notice it!) Here's the story! ^_^ (Can you tell I'm in a great mood today?)  
  
Part VIII  
  
Taiki was reading a book on the couch, as usual and other than the occasional turn of a page the apartment was silent. The afternoon was getting on and soon the sky would be lit by the brilliant glow of the stars. Taiki's concentration was broken by the slam of a door.  
  
"You know, the door shuts easily, there is no need to slam it." Taiki said without even looking up from his book.  
  
"I know, but it wouldn't annoy you if I did it any other way." Seiya winked and headed for the kitchen.  
  
Taiki sighed and once again realized how childish Seiya could actually be sometimes. Before he could get any more into his thought the sound of a door slamming resounded through the apartment again. Taiki just grunted and folded up his book.  
  
Yaten walked in the apartment with a certain glow about him. "What's up with you?" Taiki asked with a raised brow. Yaten said nothing to him, walked by him and just smiled. To say the least Taiki was completely confused.  
  
"How was your date with Usagi?" Yaten asked nudging Seiya in the side.  
  
"It wasn't a date." Seiya said rummaging through the cabinets for something he could eat that he didn't have to cook. "We were just catching up on old times."  
  
"Yeah, and you expect us to believe that?" Yaten grinned a little more.  
  
Seiya narrowed his eyes and looked at Yaten's amused expression. "Yes, I expect you to believe that because that's what happened."  
  
"Good." Taiki said coming into the kitchen and the conversation. "This time I'd like to see you keep your mind focused on looking for the Princess unlike last time."  
  
Seiya looked down a bit, his back was to his companions and the cabinet door hid his face. Yaten's voice brought him from his thoughts. "Taiki leave him alone, and don't pretend that he was the only one getting 'distracted' last time we were here!"  
  
Taiki's eyes were wide in surprise, was Yaten actually presuming to lecture him? "You guys know what I mean." Was all Taiki said in return before he turned to leave the room.  
  
"Taiki wait." Seiya called as he shut the cabinet door ending his search for dinner. "There's this girl…"  
  
"Oh come on, don't tell me you found some one else to google over now!" Yaten hugged and smacked his forehead.  
  
"No." Seiya's eyes narrowed. "If you'd let me finish, Odango is hanging around with this girl. I believe that her name is Morgan, Yaten's seen her. Well anyway, she has been going out of her way to allow me to spend time with Odango, even putting herself in harms way."  
  
"So?" Taiki asked getting annoyed that he had returned just to here Seiya talk about his Odango's friend.  
  
"So, after she saved me from Haruka yesterday she whispered something in my ear before she left. She said that Kakyuu says hello." Seiya's hand was to his chin in thought.  
  
"Nani!" Yaten asked and he saw the look on Taiki's face which showed that he felt the same. "Do you think she has our Princess?"  
  
"No…" Seiya answered. "I don't think so, but I definitely think she knows where she is."  
  
"We should keep an eye on her then." Taiki answered before resuming on his path to the living room, back to his confinement.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"This sucks!" Helios complained as we hiked up the hill towards school. "Why do we have to go to school?"  
  
"Because…" I said walking along not really paying attention to him but lost in my own thoughts.  
  
"Because why?" Helios whined some more. "It's all Kakyuu's fault! Why doesn't she have to come?"  
  
"Dumbass, she can't go to school. The others will recognize her for sure. Besides, she has done her part."  
  
"What do you mean? She hasn't done anything yet!"  
  
I shook my head. "Her job was to bring Seiya to Earth. Do you see Seiya on Earth? Well there you go genius, she did her job. The rest is up to us." I was still tired from not getting enough sleep and the smallest comments he was making this morning were riding my last nerve. "If we go to school that gives us a chance to interact with them and bring Seiya and Usagi closer together."  
  
"Oh…" Helios realized that he hadn't thought that whole comment through. "But still…"  
  
"Oh god! Just shut up!" I brought my hand to my forehead.  
  
"They're almost as bad as you and Rei, Usagi." Makoto giggled from behind us. Helios and I stopped and turned around to find a group of four girls behind us.  
  
"Hello minna!" I waved and Helios let a very unenthusiastic good morning slip out. I prayed that they hadn't heard any more of the conversation that we had just been having.  
  
"Speaking of Rei, she asked me to come over to the shrine today, did she ask any of you?" Usagi asked directing the comment more towards Ami, Minako and Makoto than Helios and myself.  
  
Everyone shook their heads and said no until Makoto quickly changed the subject. "So who's this cutie here?" She said coming up next to Helios who just sweat dropped.  
  
"That's Aisoku!" Minako said more than enthusiastically. "Him and Morgan are going to be going to our school now!"  
  
"I think they have a little thing for you." I smiled as I whispered to Helios who just grumbled something under his breath. I had told the girls that we were going to be going to their school when I slept over at Minako's house. You'd think that I would have gotten used to the way they said Morgan, but it still bugged me. I didn't like being left out of the joke, especially when it was about me!  
  
"What time is nap time around here?" Helios said with his eyes still half closed. The girls giggled and just passed him off. Up ahead we could see a crowd of students blocking the front gate.  
  
"Looks like the Three Lights have arrived at school." Minako said not taking her eyes from the crowd. "Well what are we waiting for?" She looked at me and the other girls. "Let's go!"  
  
"Hai!" The others screamed and followed her towards the school at a pace that was entirely way to fast for me this time of the morning.  
  
Helios and I just stood and sweat dropped at the scene. "I was wondering why she was actually on time for school for once." I said thinking of Usagi. Then realizing we were alone I turned to Helios. "Why are you so tired?"  
  
"I got to talking with Kakyuu last night and lost track of the time." He said nonchalantly.  
  
"What were you talking about?" I asked assuming it had something to do with Seiya.  
  
"None of your business!" He snapped at me and quickened his pace to pull ahead of me.  
  
"Touchy! Geesh, bite my head off why don't you!?" I said surprised at his sudden outburst.  
  
"And why are you so tired? You went to bed way before you normally do." He said slowing and calming down a bit.  
  
I fidgeted a bit but saw no harm in answering him. "I couldn't fall asleep, I was thinking."  
  
His mood softened more and he actually seemed concerned about me, although it was beyond me why. "What were you thinking about?"  
  
I thought of snapping back at him in much the same way he had done to me but I really wasn't in the mood to get in another argument with him. "Home." I looked down at my feet making ground on the sidewalk. "I just miss it so much… I guess I'm just scared."  
  
Helios seemed surprised at my words because he stopped walking. "There's nothing to be scared about." He said when I stopped walking also to turn around to face him.  
  
"I'm just afraid that everything I know is never going to exist again and that I'll be stuck here forever. It scares me to think that my life up until now has been nothing but a dream." I said feeling slight moisture in my eyes. I turned my face up to look right in the sun, I didn't want him to know that I was crying. I expected the ridicule to start up once again but it didn't.  
  
Helios came up and stood right in front of me, I brought my gaze down from the sky and he wrapped me in a warm embrace. "Don't worry, everything will work out." He whispered to me. It was the first time I felt comfort since I had gotten here.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
This school was just as boring as my school had been back home. "No wonder Usagi's always getting in trouble, you need to do something for excitement around here." I mumbled to myself but heard Makoto laugh in front of me. I sat behind Makoto and next to Taiki. All the way across the room was Seiya, Usagi, and Helios. Helios and I had been getting strange glances from the Lights all morning. I knew it was because of my comment from Saturday.  
  
I saw the far off dreamy look in Seiya's eyes as she stared at the back of Usagi's head, I knew he was completely oblivious to what was going on around him. Usagi seemed to be drawing in her notebook, she had her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth and appeared to be in deep concentration. The loud ringing of the bell brought everyone from their tasks and I saw Seiya shoot up from his desk really fast as though he had just been abruptly awoken from a sweet dream, which I'm sure he had been.  
  
The students began to filter out of the classroom and assemble in the hall. It was the end of the day and I silently thanked God because I didn't think I could take any more of it! Helios came up to my locker as I gathered my things and my bag to go home. "Napping in class again huh?" I smiled at him as I shut my locker.  
  
"You're one to talk, I caught you once or twice yourself." He said annoyed.  
  
"Oh so you were staring at me huh?" I questioned him jokingly but then notice the blush in his cheeks.  
  
"No!" He answered back. "And doesn't that mean that you were staring at me too?" He said raising his eyebrows up and down while leaning towards me.  
  
I started laughing and he backed off. "You sat right next to Seiya, do you really think I was concentrating on you?" He stopped joking and only replied with an 'oh'. "We do have a mission you know, it's now my official job to stare at him!"  
  
"Stare at who?" Minako came bouncing up behind me and scared the living daylights out of me.  
  
"Oh no one." I said smiling at her.  
  
"Oh, does Morgan have a little crush?" Minako teased as Ami, and the Lights came up behind her.  
  
"More like an obsession…" Helios muttered but only I heard him. That one earned him a swift elbow to the side.  
  
I shook my head and tried to wave her off, thank god Usagi came running up and saved me. "Morgan! I'm going to my friend Rei's house after school if you'd like to join me and meet her." She smiled holding her bag in front of her.  
  
"She can't." Helios stepped in.  
  
I got a very puzzled look on my face. "Why can't I?" I faced him with the question and waited for an answer with everyone else.  
  
"Because we have to plan your little 'trip'." He said through clenched teeth.  
  
"OHHHH!" I said realizing what he getting at.  
  
"I'll walk you to Rei's." Seiya offered up coming next to Usagi.  
  
Usagi smiled at him sort of as a thank you and we all went to leave school. On the way out I swear we looked like the mafia with our big group all together. As we came to the gates I spotted a yellow convertible sports car at the curb, and there was Haruka leaning against it.  
  
"Um….. I'll umm….. see you guys later." I waved as pulled Helios by his arm.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked as we were speeding off in the opposite direction.  
  
"Haruka was sitting outside the school. I don't think it would have gone over well if she had seen me." I said slowing down realizing that no one was following us.  
  
"Oi Koneko-chan!" Haruka smiled and waved at the girls.  
  
Taiki was still looking off in the direction that Morgan and Aisoku had torn off in. Obviously they were not big fans of Haruka. 'Perhaps that would be a good sign for us.' He thought to himself as he noticed Yaten doing the same.  
  
"Haruka? What are you doing here?" Usagi asked then noticed Michiru in the passenger seat. "Hello Michiru." She waved to acknowledge her.  
  
"We came to pick you up. Mamoru is over at the house right now with Setsuna." Haruka said in a tone uncommonly chipper for her but at the same time gave the evil eye to Seiya who was standing uncomfortably close to her Koneko-chan.  
  
Usagi smiled at Haruka and Seiya thought that all his chances of walking Usagi to the shrine had just gone out the window. "Gomen, but I told Rei I would meet her after school."  
  
Seiya let out a sigh of relief and Haruka shot him an even sharper look. "Ok Koneko, but give us a call some time, we're starting to think you forgot about us." Haruka winked at her and jumped in the car.  
  
"I could never forget about you guys!" Usagi smiled with her head to the side.  
  
The car took off from the curb and Taiki grabbed Seiya's arm before he had a chance to walk off. "Seiya, see what Usagi knows about that Morgan girl." He said a little above a whisper.  
  
Seiya nodded and freed his arm from Taiki's hold. "Ready Odango?" He asked in an immediate mood change. Usagi nodded and they were off.  
  
Makoto stared after them as they headed down the road. "She's so happy now." She said more to herself than anyone else but an overall agreement came from the crowd she was with.  
  
"Seiya?" Usagi questioned as they walked along. He looked down at her to show that he was listening. "Why did you call Morgan an angel yesterday?"  
  
"Why are you jealous?" He teased as he held his bag over his shoulder.  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Calm down Odango, I was just kidding." He laughed at her reaction. "I called her my 'guardian angel' because she pretty much saved my butt from a Haruka beating."  
  
"Oh…" Usagi said feeling a little relief in his statement.  
  
"Speaking of Morgan, how do you know her?"  
  
Usagi felt a little pain of jealousy creep up on her. "You're not going to believe me if I tell you." She said still wondering why he was asking about her.  
  
"Try me." He said flatly, he needed to figure out her connection to Kakyuu, and if she was a possible danger to Usagi.  
  
"Well she's a cartoon character."  
  
"What?" Seiya stopped and almost choked. He wasn't expecting that one.  
  
"Yeah, she's a cartoon character come to life. I think she's really nice, don't you?" Usagi had a questioning agenda of her own here.  
  
"Of course I think she's nice, she's made many openings for me to hang out with you." He winked at her and noticed her blush. 'If only Usagi would make openings for me.' He thought as he noticed the stairs of the Hikawa Shrine coming into view.  
  
"Thank you for walking me here, it always seems so much longer when I'm by myself." Usagi stopped at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
Seiya smiled at her. "Odango, we're having a concert Friday, I'd really like it if you would come."  
  
"Of course I'd come, are you kidding me?"  
  
He laughed at her excitement. "I just wanted to tell you ahead of time so you didn't make any plans. I'll get you a ticket, we know what kind of luck you usually have."  
  
Usagi frowned but then realized he was right and laughed it off. "Arigato!" She said and gave him a peck on the cheek before running up the stairs.  
  
"What was that for?" Seiya said as he held his cheek just watching her climb the mountain of stairs. A huge smile broke out on his face and he headed home with a renewed sense of hope.  
  
Usagi huffed all the way up the stairs. "Why does everyone have to have so many damn stairs where they live? I'm going to get a ranch house or at least an elevator when I move out!"  
  
Rei laughed at her friend when she conquered the mighty stair obstacle. "You're out of shape."  
  
"Shut up." Usagi grumbled as she threw her bag down on the bench. She sat on the bench next to her bag and felt the relief of the shade of the tree above her.  
  
"Gomen gomen." Rei said setting her broom against the tree and taking a seat next to her.  
  
"How do you make it here so fast from school?"  
  
"I'm not out of shape like you." She couldn't help herself. Usagi sighed and saw that it was pointless to try and counter her.  
  
"I almost forgot how peaceful it was up here." Usagi said with a smile coming to her lips.  
  
Rei sat back and took in the sight of her friend. "You seem happy lately." Usagi smiled over at her. "What's going on? Did Mamoru propose?"  
  
Usagi's smile faded and she looked over at Rei. "No….."  
  
"Why did you say it like that?" Rei grew a little concerned at her response. Normally Usagi would just spout out something like 'No, not yet he's probably still looking for the perfect ring.' Or 'Oh yeah I forgot to tell you? We got married yesterday!' This time it was too simple, there was something on her mind.  
  
"No reason."  
  
Was Usagi having doubts? True that wasn't the only explanation but that was the one that Rei wanted to hear. Yes this was her best friend and her Princess, of course she wanted her to be happy, happy with her. Rei had long since admired Usagi although she didn't really know how to express these feelings she had for her. Rei knew Usagi was destined to be with Mamoru and knew there was no place for her so her feelings of love for Usagi came out as teasings and rantings. "Usagi, I know you better than that."  
  
Usagi smiled up at Rei with a warmth that made Rei's heart melt. "You do know me too well Rei." Usagi sighed and looked up at the branches above her. "I can tell you anything right?" She questioned not even bothering to look at Rei.  
  
"Of course." Rei said pretty much urging her to continue.  
  
Usagi paused again before saying anything, seemingly to get her thoughts in order. "There's some one else on my mind."  
  
"WHAT!" Rei was completely shocked but didn't want Usagi to take this as her being mad at her. "Who?" She asked sneakily.  
  
"It's not important who it is… Oh Rei, what am I going to do. I've been having this feeling for so long and I don't know what to do about it."  
  
Was she thinking of Rei? Possibly, who else could it be? Rei had no idea that the Lights were back and the thought to suspect them didn't even come to her mind. "I say follow your heart."  
  
"My heart tells me to break up with Mamoru, it has for a while now, but it also tells me to stay with him." Usagi took her gaze from the trees to look at the ground between her feet. "It tells me to stay with him for Chibi-Usa's sake."  
  
Rei knew the consequences if Usagi and Mamoru weren't together. Rei gave her a warm smile. "But think about the other children that you could have as well with some one else."  
  
Usagi looked up at Rei shocked, she was actually supporting her and telling her that it was alright if she broke up with Mamoru. "But I don't know any of those children…"  
  
"Usagi, this is a choice that you have to make. Just remember that whatever decision you make, you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life. Think about how you will feel if you marry the one you love or if you marry some one you that you were forced to be with. Also think about how it will make Mamoru feel if you marry him when you love another, he'll have to live with that pain for the rest of his life too." Rei got up and stood in front of Usagi. "You'll know what to do when the time comes."  
  
Usagi smiled up at Rei and stood face to face with her. "Thank you Rei." She said before she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. "I can always come to you."  
  
Rei reveled in the feeling and also had a renewed sense of hope for her and Usagi being together. "Well stop getting all emotional on me." She said breaking away so that they didn't have to think about depressing things any more. "Do you really think I'd invite you over here without having a ton of cookies ready for you?"  
  
Usagi smiled, linked arms with Rei and ran inside leaving a giant dust storm behind.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Have you guys got any leads on your Princess yet?" Minako asked sitting on the floor of her room doing her homework on the small table.  
  
Yaten was working across the table from her on his own homework. "Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you?"  
  
"And why wouldn't you tell me?" Minako put her hands on her hips in fists.  
  
Yaten didn't pick his eyes up from his task. "I'm not going to give you any hints of where she is so you can kidnap her. I want to get off this stinkin planet as soon as possible, and I'm not going to let you stand in the way of my mission." He said rather coldly.  
  
This however didn't affect Minako in the slightest. "Oh really, you want to know what I think?" She asked putting her pencil down and relaxing a bit. "I don't think you guys have any idea where she is, or why she's even here."  
  
"What do you know?" Yaten mumbled closing his book.  
  
"I know that you skipped practice to come and do home work with me." Minako said inching closer to him.  
  
Yaten looked up at her. "Exhausting work or pretending to be academic, you figure it out." He huffed and flipped his hair.  
  
"I don't think it had to do with either one of them." Minako said with a certain seductive look in her eye.  
  
"Don't you get deterred at all?" Yaten stared at her callously as she was almost right next to him.  
  
Minako got on her knees and placed one of her hands on the floor on either side of Yaten's body. "No…" She whispered as she leaned in and captured his lips in a passionate kiss that she had only dreamt about giving him before.  
  
Yaten didn't pull away but instead brought one hand up to Minako's cheek, the other around her waist and pulled her in to deepen the kiss. This was why he had been in such a good mood lately, because of her, all because of Minako. 


	9. nine

Gomen, this part is a little shorter than the other ones… Ahhhh… too much to do and not enough time to do it all in! Anywho… To answer a few quick questions up front: *clears throat * Morgan in this fic is actually me, yeah yeah yeah, hey, you can put yourself in your own fan fics!!… My real pen name is Odango, I posted my stories on Himeko's website (dream in color) and Amara's (Seiya & Usagi Forever) before I'd ever even heard of FanFiction.net…. when I went to post my fics here I noticed that some one already had the pen name Odango so I chose Ms Monypeny instead…. I always wanted to be Sean Connory's right hand man or woman, for an old guy he's pretty damn hot! You get the idea! So, Morgan is supposed to be the inner's age in this fic.  
  
I'm still waiting for my toaster! *taps foot impatiently *  
  
Part IX  
  
Today was the day she was going to do it. Usagi was actually going to break up with Mamoru! Rei's words seemed to ring all too clear in her head and she knew what she had to do. Of course she was surprised with her friend's advice but that only reinforced the fact that her feelings were true and that she should follow her heart.  
  
Mamoru was at the outer's house this after noon, for some reason he had been spending a lot of time there lately. It never seemed to take this long to get there before. Usagi looked up at the afternoon sky. There was a sweet smell in the air and you could tell that summer was just around the corner. "Oh why can't this just be easy?" She sighed and regained her focus on her destination.  
  
As she made her way up the long driveway to the huge house she noticed two people sitting at the patio set on the front lawn. It was Setsuna and Mamoru, neither of them seemed to notice that she was approaching them. The song of the crickets was in the air and the spring grass seemed to bend easily with the slight breeze circling around.  
  
Setsuna was smiling and laughing as Mamoru was apparently telling her about his day. 'Funny, I don't think I've ever seen Setsuna laugh before.' Usagi thought to herself as she neared the two.  
  
"Usako!" Mamoru said surprised.  
  
"Mamoru, I need to talk to you." Usagi said with her head high and an air of determination in her voice. Setsuna's smile quickly faded and her pursed lips displayed the fact that she was not pleased.  
  
"Sure thing." Mamoru said standing from his seat and leaving the shade of the table's umbrella. Setsuna looked up at him to see his reaction to all of this. "Setsuna, if you'll excuse me." Setsuna nodded and watched him walk to Usagi.  
  
"Can we go for a drive?" Usagi said to Mamoru as he came up beside her. Mamoru nodded and reached in his pocket for the keys. The out-come of this ride would not be good, he could just feel it.  
  
Usagi had never had a boyfriend before Mamoru, she just always assumed that no one would ever want to date her. She wasn't exactly the vision of perfection, she ate too much and wasn't exactly graceful. For some reason Mamoru seemed to see past that. Soon Usagi realized that he didn't see past that, but instead loved her for who she used to be and not for who she truly was. Usagi. Even after realizing all of this she still stayed with him and went along with the whole idea of the destiny thing. Why break it off to be alone? She had known no better until he came, until Seiya came into her life. With this thought in mind Usagi climbed into the red sports car and prepared to alter her own destiny.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Setsuna walked back into the house to meet the smiling face of Michiru. "You can't tell me that you're not in some way happy about what is about to happen." Michiru said with a certain curl to her lips.  
  
The shade of the house brought relief to her hot skin as the scent of the freshly cut grass left her senses. Setsuna said nothing in true Setsuna fashion and coolly walked by the sea guardian.  
  
Haruka walked up to join Michiru's side. "What did you say to her?" She asked as she kissed the top of her head.  
  
"Nothing, I think she's just starting to realize why her future self did not do more to stop the dilemma on our hands." Michiru smiled as she looked in the direction that the taller senshi had just left in.  
  
Haruka's playfulness left her for a minute as her face portrayed a serious mood. "Setsuna knows not to let her feelings get in the way. Usagi and Mamoru will remain together, regardless of how any of us feel towards either of them. Our future will remain intact."  
  
"I'm not so sure about that any more."  
  
"Michi, what are you talking about? Are you saying that we're wrong?"  
  
"I just think we're missing something…"  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Today was the Three Lights concert, Seiya had given Helios and I tickets to it as a thank you for saving his butt from Haruka. The hallways were crowded with students and I did the best I could to just disappear into my locker. "You look better that way." A voice said from behind me.  
  
"What?" I asked turning around to see who it was.  
  
"You look better that way, you know, with the locker covering your face." Helios said as he started to laugh.  
  
"It never ends with you, does it? It's all one big joke isn't it?" I asked shutting my locker and noticing Seiya coming up on my other side.  
  
Helios continued to snicker at me as Seiya stopped next to me. "What's up with him?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
"Oh don't mind him, he just realized how much of a pathetic loser he is." I waved him off.  
  
Seiya gave him a once over before returning to our conversation. "You guys are still coming tonight right?" He asked and I noticed Usagi approaching us.  
  
"Yeah, of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world." I smiled and stuck my foot out to the side. This must have grabbed Seiya's attention because he looked down at my foot and the next thing he knew Usagi was flying into his arms from tripping over my extended foot.  
  
Seiya of course caught the clumsy blond with her face only inches from his. "Oh gomen!" She blushed as she tried to steady herself.  
  
I laughed a bit at the situation. Seiya shot me somewhat of a 'thank you' look and then walked away with Usagi.  
  
"You really amaze me." Helios said from next to me.  
  
"Why do you say that?" I asked not looking right at him but still staring down the hall where the two were walking.  
  
He laughed and picked up his bag. "Just ten minutes ago you seemed like you held the weight of the world on your shoulders but just two seconds of getting those two together and you're in a good mood again."  
  
"Well what can I say!" I said throwing my bag over my shoulder too. We started walking towards the exit, it had been a long day of school and I was definitely thanking god that it was Friday. "Oh, Kakyuu told me that you had some news on getting me home. She wouldn't tell me, she said it was your surprise." I asked him with an excited tone.  
  
Helios' face dropped at the mere mention of the situation. "No, it wasn't what I thought it was, so just forget about it. I'll figure something else out though."  
  
My hopes immediately fell. "Oh."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
He was letting himself fall again. There was just no use in fighting it. Usagi had never left his senses in the first place and now that he could take her in anew he would be a fool not too. It was beyond hope, he knew he'd never be able to live without seeing this girl everyday. He secretly hoped that Kakyuu never let them find her so that he could stay here on Earth with Usagi, but quickly pushed the thought from his mind. He had to find Kakyuu, that was his Princess, and that was that.  
  
"I broke up with Mamoru." Usagi's words interrupted his thoughts.  
  
Seiya stopped walking, by now they were in the schoolyard. "Odango? Why? What happened? He didn't do anything to you did he?" Millions of questions swirled in his head as to what could have happened.  
  
"No, he didn't do anything." Usagi said with tears coming to her eyes. "I just didn't love him, and it wasn't fair to be with him under false affection."  
  
Seiya's heart leapt for joy at these words but ached at the same time seeing her cry.  
  
"I don't mean to cry, I actually don't even know why I am." Usagi smiled brightly with the tears trickling from her eyes. "I'm the one that broke up with him, I shouldn't feel bad right?"  
  
Seiya didn't know what to say he took her into a friendly embraced and was surprised at the force she put into hugging him back. "It's alright Odango. It's just something that you have to get used to. For the longest time it seems that Mamoru is the only thing you've known and now you feel like some thing is missing without him, ne?"  
  
"Exactly." Usagi came to the realization. "How did you know how I felt?" She asked pulling away a bit.  
  
Seiya smiled at her. "That's how I felt when we lost our Princess the first time we were here."  
  
"And you don't feel that way this time?" She asked innocently.  
  
He shook his head. "I don't feel alone and empty any more, I've found you."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The concert was packed and we seemed to have the best seats in the house. I sat between Helios and Usagi. I was watching Usagi's reaction to the show a couple of times and saw the expression of pure joy spread over her face. A couple of times too I noticed Seiya looking at me with narrowed eyes. It was almost unnerving as to the way he would look at me, almost as though I was the enemy.  
  
I shook the idea out of my head and glanced over at Helios. I couldn't contain my laughter when I saw Makoto inching closer to him and the fact that he was oblivious to it all. He did look like he had something on his mind though, maybe he really was working on a way to get me home!  
  
"Thank you all for coming!" The crowd went wild, it was almost the end of the show and this looked to be their last song. "We're so glad to be back here with all of you! We're going to end this show with one of the greatest songs of all time and it's dedicated to a very special person."  
  
The lights dimmed and the music began, I immediately recognized the song, it was one of my absolute favorites!! Naturally I was excited to hear Seiya sing it!  
  
'I want you to want me.  
  
I need you to need me.  
  
I'd love for you to love me.  
  
I'm beggin' you to beg me.'  
  
Helios looked over at me like I had lost my mind because I had a permi- smile plastered on my face! I knew this song was for Usagi but I didn't care, it sounded awesome.  
  
'I want you to want me.  
  
I need you to need me.  
  
I'd love for you to love me.  
  
I'll shine up the old brown shoes, put on a brand-new shirt.  
  
I'll get home early from work if you say that you love me.'  
  
Yaten was playing along like he could really care less and Taiki seemed to be preoccupied with something else.  
  
'Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?  
  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?  
  
Feelin' all alone without a friend, you know you feel like dyin'.  
  
Oh didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?'  
  
I was on cloud nine after the show and nothing could bring me down, well nothing except Helios. "Do you think Kakyuu would want to work on getting me home tonight?" I asked as we headed for the main gates of the theatre. I was speaking so that only he could hear me since we were surrounded by the inners.  
  
A cross look passed on his face as he turned suddenly to look at me. "Why don't you get off our backs about going home huh?" I stood back a bit and didn't move. "Just go and drool over Seiya while Kakyuu and I deal with the problems."  
  
He had snapped. "What?" I asked incredulously. What was he saying? "You think I'm just slacking off here?" He didn't say anything and I saw the inners beginning to stare at me. "Well screw you, you can do it by yourself if you don't think you need me!" I started to push my way through the crowd to get to the gates quicker, to get away from Helios' eyes. I felt a hand on my arm and didn't turn around immediately to see who it was in fear that he had caught up to me.  
  
"Morgan." The voice was soft and gentle. I turned around and I could feel the moisture building up in my eyes. Usagi stood there with the most understanding look in her eyes. "Will you come over to my house?"  
  
I nodded, and I knew she was doing it just out of pity. I had no one now to turn to, I might as well go to Usagi. 


	10. ten

Thank you Morgan, (my real roommate) for my new toaster!!! You're the greatest!!!  
  
Part X  
  
The concert had been a huge success. The Three Lights were back with all of their former glory and then some. The fans crowded around their dressing room door waiting for just a glimpse of their favorite Light. The noise level was almost unbearable outside their door but inside you could have heard a pin drop.  
  
"She went home with Usagi." Taiki said flatly while leaning against the wall on the other side of the room.  
  
He had his elbows resting on his knees with his head hung low. Seiya looked up from his seated position. "Do you think I didn't notice?" He asked almost sarcastically. "I don't know… I don't know if I can trust her."  
  
"Seiya, what are you talking about." Yaten looked at him with a bit of surprise. "She obviously knows about Kakyuu and therefore I wouldn't be at all surprised if she knows about the senshi. Morgan could be a new enemy, and we just let her walk out of here with Usagi."  
  
"I know, but for some reason she also seems to be trying to help me be able to spend time with Usagi." Seiya continued to voice his thoughts.  
  
Taiki pushed himself from his position and looked at the two before him. "Well there's only one way to find out. We have to confront her."  
  
Seiya looked at him and Yaten nodded. "We'll find her tonight."  
  
Seiya had an ache creep into his mind, were they going to find Kakyuu soon? Did he even want to any more?  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
It was a bit of a walk to the bus station, but it was a nice night. Usagi was silent and I had no intentions of starting a conversation with her about anything that had happened. Why did I feel so bad? It was just Helios. Why had such a little confrontation made me react that way?  
  
I looked up into the sky and noticed the moon hanging high above. It seemed a little smaller and a little less magnificent than it had the day before. I thought nothing of it and passed it off as just being a result of my bad mood. I had really screwed myself this time. Was I really that much of a slacker? Did I really neglect the mission? Did I really feel this bad for yelling at Helios? Why does it keep coming back to him?  
  
The bus pulled up and we climbed on. I looked over at Usagi who also seemed to be thinking about something. "What's on your mind?" I asked trying to take the focus off of my apparent problem.  
  
"Nothing really." She answered almost shyly.  
  
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" I asked with a smile and noticed that there was only one other person on the bus with us.  
  
She looked over at me with a smile. "I broke up with Mamoru yesterday." She said it as if she was proud of herself.  
  
My eyes went wide. "Really?" I choked out but then regained my composure. "Well good for you, he seemed like a jerk!" I said and crossed my legs.  
  
Usagi apparently found this amusing because she let a light giggle escape her lips. "You barely know him."  
  
"And that was enough!" I huffed. "Did you have some one else in mind?" I asked raising my eyebrows up and down, I wanted to see just how good of a job I had done in getting these two together.  
  
I must have given her the wrong signal because she looked at me like I was crazy. "Yeah… it's a boy."  
  
I realized what she was thinking and backed away a bit. "I think you misunderstood."  
  
She let out what seemed like a sigh of relief. "Gomen…" She laughed nervously with her hand behind her head.  
  
"It's Seiya isn't it?" I asked with a curious tone. Usagi got a very bright blush in her cheeks. "I knew it!!" I stood up and did a little victory dance. The old woman at the front of the bus turned around to give me a strange look but that didn't stop me!  
  
Usagi pulled me down next to her. "Will you stop?" She asked looking around to see if there was anyone else on the bus to look at my show. "I still don't know yet."  
  
I stopped joking around and got serious. "What do you mean?"  
  
Usagi seemed no longer embarrassed. "I know I'll probably end up getting back together with Mamoru down the line."  
  
"Why?" She was ripping down my mission with every word.  
  
She seemed to grow sad. "There's something ahead in my future that's just too important to sacrifice over matters of the heart."  
  
I knew she was talking about Chibi-Usa but couldn't tell her that. "How do you know they will get sacrificed? How do you know you're not missing something else important by not being with some one you really want to be with?"  
  
"Oh you wouldn't understand." She said in a little more than a whisper. How wrong she was. "What was that all about back there?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You and Helios. Are you two not on good terms?" I could tell she was trying to get the conversation off of her problems.  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
Usagi turned and looked at me with so much compassion in her eyes. "I am worried about it. You're my friend and I don't like to see my friends upset."  
  
I smiled at her gesture. "I'll be gone soon anyway." I didn't look at her but instead at the windshield of the bus that was so many seats ahead. "Have you ever just felt like you don't belong somewhere? That you really don't know where you're going?"  
  
Usagi smiled. "I know exactly what you mean." The bus pulled to a stop just down the street from Usagi's house. "I'm sure you guys will be on good terms again, it seems like you two are really good friends."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"You just left her there?" Kakyuu said calmly. "What did you say to her?"  
  
Helios just threw his body down on the couch. "She'll be fine, she's a big girl."  
  
"Did you tell her?"  
  
"No, and I don't plan on it." He put a pillow over his face but Kakyuu walked over and removed it. "What?" He questioned looking at her. "We don't need her to do this, let's just finish it ourselves."  
  
Kakyuu just stared at him blankly for a moment trying to imagine what events had taken place earlier that night. "Would you come outside with me?" She asked changing the subject.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I asked you to. I'm so sick of being stuffed in here, I need some fresh air." She said opening the door. Helios got off of the couch and did as she requested.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
We made our way into Usagi's house. I sat down and started watching TV in the living room while she made us snacks in the kitchen, her parents must have been out. "Do you like chocolate?" She called from the kitchen.  
  
"I'll eat anything." I answered back. Usagi had always looked like she was chowing down on great food. I flipped through the channels but nothing seemed appealing. "I wonder if Sailor Moon is on?" I joked to myself as Usagi came into the room.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh nothing, I was just complaining that there was nothing on TV." I said setting the remote down.  
  
Usagi picked up the remote and punched in two numbers not wasting any time. "Your show is on, how can you say nothing is on?" She smiled and shoved some popcorn in her mouth.  
  
"My show?" I was confused. If I even watched TV enough to have a show how would she know about it.  
  
"Yeah, your show, the one you came from."  
  
I watched the screen in front of me and I saw it, my life. There I was in my living room with my roommate Morgan having a conversation that I had had with her a while ago.  
  
"This one's a rerun." She said as she continued to shove handfuls of popcorn in her mouth.  
  
"What?" I was confused to say the least. I stood up and couldn't take my eyes off the screen. I was the fictional character. My entire reality came crashing down around me.  
  
"Are you alright?" Usagi asked concerned, she must have noticed how pale I had gotten.  
  
This was the real world? I was just a cartoon? The show was still on and my life was replaying for the entire world to see right there on the TV. "I have to go…" I said and ran out the door.  
  
I had to get to Kakyuu, I had to tell her everything that happened. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Tears were blinding my vision but I didn't really care if I ran into anything, my life was all a dream sequence so far I had just now woken up. Rage, fury, confusion and passion all flooded my senses and I was having a hard time concentrating on where I was going until I heard the snaps.  
  
I stopped running and looked around. There were halos around the streetlights as my vision had become so clouded with my salty tears. "Come out I know you're there!" I called in a frustrated tone.  
  
"So you did know about us." Healer stepped from the shadows.  
  
"Leave me alone." I muttered and started to walk away until Maker blocked my path.  
  
"You're not going any where until you answer a few questions for us." She had a look of determination in her eyes that sent a chill straight to my bones.  
  
"It doesn't matter now, nothing does!" I yelled and started crying again. I turned from her to go the other way but was blocked by Fighter who had come up behind me during my mini fit with Maker.  
  
"We're not going to hurt you, we just want to get things straight with you." She said as she put a firm hand on my arm.  
  
"Piss off!" I said as I threw her hand off of me. Wait, what was I doing? Did I really just tell a sailor senshi to piss off? And not just any senshi but Fighter? Was I really this upset? Yes, my whole life was gone, what did it matter what I did now?  
  
Healer noticed people driving by and realized that this was not the place to take care of such matters. "We have to go." She said eyeing Maker who seemed to know what she was talking about.  
  
Maker grabbed me and I realized that they were trying to bring me with them. I struggled against her hold and this only brought Fighter's arms onto me too. They had me but I wasn't going anywhere with them without a fight. "Let go!" I screamed as I kicked about.  
  
Kakyuu and Helios rounded the corner not too far from the town house and saw the commotion on the street. "What the…" Helios said before he knew what was going on. "Odango!" He said as he realized who the Starlight's prey was.  
  
"Don't." Kakyuu warned. "You can't take on three senshi."  
  
Helios stopped immediately understanding the truth in her words. It was true he couldn't take on three senshi, especially not three Starlights. "We can't just let them beat on her."  
  
Kakyuu stood as observed the scene.  
  
"Kakyuu! You have to stop them!" By now Odango was almost subdued and didn't look like she could put up much more of a fight. "They'll listen to you! Show yourself!"  
  
"I can't."  
  
Helios started to storm off in the direction of the fight the girl had stopped struggling and the Starlights were about to take off with her when she started to glow. Helios looked back at Kakyuu who was standing with her hands in front of her.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
I had given up and given in. Let them take me, what difference did it make now? Suddenly I felt this enormous amount of power fill my body and then I felt them release me. I stood there in the center of the three of them just staring at me, I was changing. I was becoming some one else.  
  
"What? Impossible!" Maker exclaimed as she looked upon me.  
  
When the light faded I looked down at myself and noticed I was clad in a black leather fuku with grey straps. "Masaka…" I breathed but also saw my opportunity to get away. In a blink of the eye I was gone. Such incredible power and speed I felt running through my body, what was happening, why was I a Starlight?  
  
I had to show Kakyuu so within seconds I was at the town house. No one was there. I went into my room and closed the door and slumped down on the other side of it. The tears came and it looked as though there were no end to them. My body was convulsing with sobs, it was a strange feeling since I couldn't remember the last time I had cried.  
  
A knock from the other side of the door brought me back to my senses. "Odango, it's me, Kakyuu."  
  
I stood up and opened the door doing the best I could to dry my tears on the back of my glov. Kakyuu came in and left the door open. "ummm.."  
  
"I know, I'm the one who did it." She smiled at me. "Just touch this and concentrate on detransforming." She said putting my hand on the star between my breasts.  
  
In a second I was back to my civilian form but the questions still remained. My cheeks felt hot and wet.  
  
"You are now a Starlight." Kakyuu sat on my bed and motioned for me to sit beside her. "You are Sailor Star Traveler. It was the only way I could think of to get them to release you without showing myself."  
  
"You saw?" I asked trying not to cry in front of her. She nodded in response. "I found out where I was from today." I said trying to joke about it, it was my defense mechanism and it was all I could do to keep from breaking down. "I'm a cartoon character. Isn't that funny? I'm not real! My whole life has been a figment of some one else's imagination. Everyone I knew and loved are gone and I can only watch them on TV!"  
  
Helios came to the open doorway. I looked up at him with my sore eyes and couldn't stand the pitiful look he had on his face. Helios walked the room and came to sit on the other side of me. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."  
  
I looked at him while Kakyuu got up and took up the place he had been in at the door. "You knew didn't you." I asked him afraid of the answer.  
  
"Yes, I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want to hurt you. That's why I got so aggravated when you asked me about getting home all of the time." He just looked at me.  
  
"Didn't want to hurt me? You were just going to keep lying to me?" I was still upset. "I'm stuck here with no one! I know everything about all of you and them and no one knows me. No one knows me at all!" I was whining and becoming frantic.  
  
Helios took me in his arms and I buried my head in his chest. "That's not true." He put his head on mine. "You're not alone… I know you… I know you very well."  
  
I pulled back and just looked at him in awe. All this time he was right in front of me and we were forging our friendship. He was important to me and that is why I felt so bad about our confrontation earlier. He leaned in and I closed my eyes as I let myself slip in to the sweet kiss that he bestowed upon me.  
  
Kakyuu stood in the doorway and frowned because she knew he would have to leave, he would return to his time.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The window was open to let the breeze of the night air in, but it also allowed a spy to listen in on their conversation.  
  
She was surprised to see Mamoru at the outer's house at such a time of night, and alone with Setsuna. She had important matters to discuss with them, a matter of life in death in her eyes. She was about the age of the inners and could see in the window easily without the use of tip toes.  
  
Chibi-Usa was on a mission. 


	11. eleven

Gomen… gomen, Usagi calling Helios Helios in the last chapter was just a typo on my part, more like a temporary brain fart… It should have read Aisoku and if I wasn't so damn lazy I'd probably go and fix it… U_U Just wanted to apologize! Uh… I guess I'll take the fuku comment as a compliment ^_^ !!  
  
Part XI  
  
"Mamoru! How many times did I tell you to keep your dirty hands off of my sandwich!?" Haruka bellowed through the house.  
  
"Calm down." Michiru hushed her as she cut away the part of the sandwich that Mamoru had managed to sneak a bite of. "He and Setsuna are talking in the other room, we shouldn't disturb them."  
  
Haruka gladly accepted the sandwich and went back to watching TV.  
  
"Prince you do realize that the future that we know and have built is gone if you and Usagi don't get back together." Setsuna sipped on her tea as the two sat in the observatory looking out at the night.  
  
A silly smirk appeared on his face as he set his cup down and looked over at Setsuna. "Is that necessarily a bad thing?" There was a certain look in his eyes that she couldn't ignore and apparently neither could some one else.  
  
"Mamoru!" A voice unfamiliar to them both but yet some how similar to some one they both knew sounded through the room. A pink haired young woman was crawling in through the window just beside Setsuna.  
  
"Small Lady!" Setsuna stood shocked while Mamoru helped her in the window and to stand on her feet.  
  
"Chibi-Usa, what are you doing here?" Mamoru asked confused, (well wouldn't you be?).  
  
"I came here to stop him from changing our future." Chibi-Usa stated calming herself and taking a seat on one of the iron chairs beside the table Setsuna and Mamoru had previously been seated at.  
  
"Seiya?" Setsuna questioned.  
  
Chibi-Usa got a puzzled look on her face. "Who's Seiya?" She asked. She had no idea who this person was that they were referring to which only reinforced in their minds that he wasn't a part of their future.  
  
"If you're not here to stop Seiya, then who are you talking about?" Mamoru asked hoping to god she wasn't referring to himself.  
  
"Helios!" Chibi-Usa said in a shocked tone. Hadn't they seen him?  
  
"Helios?" Mamoru and Setsuna questioned at the same time. "What would he want to change our future for?"  
  
The pink haired girl picked up the cup that used to be her future father's and began to sip the tea casually. "I betrayed him in the future and now he has come back to the past to set it straight."  
  
"So what's so bad about that? You screwed up, why should he suffer for it?" Mamoru said, still a little disgruntled that she had stolen his tea, let alone his moment alone with Setsuna.  
  
"No, you don't understand. He saw the situation that came to be between the two of us as just a repeat of what happened between you and Usagi."  
  
"What?! Usagi betrays me? With who? I'll kill him!" Mamoru is enraged but calms quickly when he feels Setsuna's hand on his arm.  
  
Chibi-Usa cocks a brow at him and continues. "Anyway… No, Usagi doesn't betray you, but her heart does. I never personally saw it, but Mars always told me that my mother loved some one other than my father. This is what Helios is trying to set right."  
  
Mamoru sat back a little relieved. "Well if it makes you feel better, we haven't seen him or heard from him at all."  
  
"What are you kidding me?" Chibi-Usa stands with her hands on the table. "He helped free your hostage! He's out there prancing around right now with Kakyuu and Odango!"  
  
"What!" Setsuna and Mamoru choke out together. By now Michiru and Haruka have heard the commotion and have come running into the room. "Helios is Aisoku?" Setsuna asks.  
  
"Helios is here?" Michiru questions just coming into the conversation.  
  
"Yes, he's here, posing as a boy named Aisoku and working with Princess Kakyuu, and the girl Odango from another world to break Mamoru and Usagi up." Chibi-Usa calmed down and recapped the events for Haruka and Michiru.  
  
Setsuna looked from Mamoru to Chibi-Usa. 'But Mamoru and Usagi did break up, why is Chibi-Usa still here?' She thought as she just witnessed the madness around her.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The Starlights detransformed and began heading back to their apartment. Seiya was taking up the rear of the group but suddenly stopped. "I'll meet up with you guys later, I'm going to check to see if Odango is alright."  
  
"Seiya!" Yaten yelled at him. "What the hell are you thinking? That girl just turned out to be a Starlight senshi, she knows where Kakyuu is and she's still on the loose, oh yeah, added bonus, she knows who we 'really' are too!"  
  
"I know. We'll talk about this when I get home, but right now I have to check on Odango. Morgan looked really upset when we ran into her and she had just come from Usagi's house, I just want to make sure she's alright." Seiya looked at the ground, he could feel Yaten's angry eyes on him. He knew that Yaten could sense how he felt about their mission on Earth this time, so similar to the last time.  
  
"Go, we'll talk when you get home." Taiki said calmly and motioned for Yaten to follow him home.  
  
Seiya started walking in the direction of Usagi's house. "Please be ok Odango." He said to the moon. He stopped and stared curiously at it. It seemed so distant as if it had shrunk from the last time he had looked up at it. Something was not right. He picked up his pace and started running to his destination.  
  
Usagi heard a pounding on her door and assumed that it was Morgan coming back from flipping out. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear ya!" She said as she set her popcorn bowl down. When she opened the door it revealed a huffing Seiya. "Seiya?"  
  
"Oi Odango." He waved nonchalantly as he caught his breath. "May I come in?" He asked seeing how she was blocking the doorway.  
  
Usagi came out of her stupor and realized how rude she was being and moved aside to let him pass. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Seiya shot her one of his sexy grins. "What? You're not happy to see me?" A blush came to Usagi's cheeks and he could see that wasn't true. "I just came to see if you were alright."  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She asked confused as she resumed her seat on the couch and offered for Seiya to join her.  
  
Seiya allowed himself to relax a bit as he sank into the soft cushions of the couch. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders just hearing that she was alright. "We ran into Morgan as she made a mad dash down the street. What happened? She looked really upset. She didn't do anything to you did she?"  
  
Usagi was confused. "What would she do to me?" She flipped through the channels until she landed on the one she was looking for. "We were just watching her show and she suddenly flipped out and left."  
  
Seiya looked from Usagi to the television to see a cartoon version of Morgan acting on the screen. "She's… she's…"  
  
"I told you she was a cartoon character, but did you want to listen? Noooo…" This came as no big surprise to Usagi, but Seiya was in utter shock. Now he knew why Morgan was flipping out when he saw her, obviously she hadn't known either.  
  
"Odango…" Seiya regained his composure and turned to Usagi. "Odango, you should stay away from her."  
  
"What?" Usagi asked putting down her handful of popcorn. "Why? She's my friend."  
  
Seiya had concern written across his face. "Odango, she's dangerous, she's…"  
  
"No Seiya, what's gotten into you?" Usagi put the bowl down on the coffee table in front of them.  
  
"She's a sailor senshi!" He finally got out. "She's a Starlight."  
  
Usagi's eyes widened. "That's great!"  
  
"No, we don't know if she's on our side or not, we've never heard anything about her, to make matters worse, she knows where Kakyuu is." Seiya looked down.  
  
Usagi moved closer to him on the couch and looked at him with a smile. "That's a good thing. I'm sure she's our friend. I can just feel it, and now you're going to find your princess! That should make you happy."  
  
"It doesn't." He said in a whisper but Usagi caught it.  
  
"What do you mean, I thought you'd want to go… home…" Her voice was wistful as she trailed off.  
  
"I… I don't want to leave again. I want to stay here… with you." He said as he brought his face up to look into her eyes. So beautiful.  
  
"Seiya…"  
  
"Shhh. You don't have to tell me, I know. I just thought that since you and your boyfriend broke up that I might have a chance, but I know that could never happen." He looked down defeated.  
  
"And why not?" Usagi said with a playful smile. "Why couldn't we ever be together?"  
  
Seiya looked up from his hands to her face once again and saw that smile, that slight seductive smile that was on display just for him. This was his moment and he wasn't going to waste it. He felt Usagi's hand on his as he brought his other hand up at the base of her skull and slowly lulled his passion onto her. A searing kiss that they had both been waiting for and it seemed so right. The bright moonlight that had been filtering in through the window disappeared to leave only the flickering light of the television.  
  
"Seiya, I want you to stay here with me." Usagi said as they broke away.  
  
A goofy grin played across Seiya's face as words could not express how incredibly elated he felt at that moment. His Odango wanted him to stay with her. "But what about your future, your set in stone future and the thing that you were so afraid of losing?" Seiya asked, afraid that he had just reminded her of her problems and she would change her mind. But it would be better if she did it now than to wait until it was too late, ne?  
  
Usagi smiled once again as she took Seiya's hands in her own. "Obviously my future isn't set in stone, you weren't originally part of my future and now I know that I can't have a future without you." She kissed him lightly as she felt a tear coming to her eye. "And the ting that I was so afraid of losing… right now I'm more afraid of losing you." She hugged him tightly so that he couldn't get away. "You can fill that void for me and you can some day replace what was lost."  
  
Seiya buried his face in her hair that hung in front of his face as he wrapped his arms around her small body taking in every ounce of her and never wanting to let go. Everything about this moment was intoxicating. He took a deep breath in and spoke one word to her as he exhaled now that he knew his place in life, in the universe, here with Usagi. "Aishiteru."  
  
"Aishiteru."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The lights around them seemed to dim and Haruka looked up to the sky where the bright moon should be. It was missing, the night sky was empty except for the twinkle of stars. "What happened?"  
  
"Where are you going?" Michiru asked Setsuna as she held her henshin stick above her head.  
  
"I have to go the gates of time. I have to talk to my future self." She said calmly before calling out her transformation phrase. In a flash of brilliant colors Sailor Pluto replaced Setsuna and quickly disappeared with a wave of her time staff.  
  
Mamoru stood and stared at where she had just been. What was going on? Everything was happening and changing so quickly, he had so many questions and not enough answers. Chibi-Usa turned to leave also. "Where are you going now?" He asked afraid that if he let her out of his sight she would disappear forever.  
  
"Don't worry Mamoru, you and Usagi have broken up but I'm still here. I have to find Helios." She said in a determined tone. "I have to stop him." With this she was out the door and heading into town.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The apartment was dark and neither of them bothered to turn the lights up from their faint glow. It was unbelievably dark outside. "The moon has left Earth's pull." Taiki commented as he looked absently out the window.  
  
"I guess she was alright." Yaten smirked letting the problem that plagued them sit on the back burner for a moment. "He finally got his wish." He joined Taiki's side to look into the now seemingly empty sky.  
  
"It's too bad that he's going to have to leave her now." Taiki said looking to Yaten for his reaction.  
  
Yaten's face fell. He thought of the fact that Seiya had finally found the love that he had been searching for and so had he, but they were both going to have to leave them behind out of their love and duty for their Princess. "I know."  
  
Taiki knew about Yaten's meetings with Minako as much as he tried to cover them up. It had taken a strong willed young woman to get past his defenses and Minako filled that position perfectly. Taiki felt an aching grow in his heart as he thought of the water senshi that he was also going to have to leave behind. It was inevitable.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Kakyuu sat on the couch in the living room as she heard the click of a bedroom door closing. Helios joined her in seconds. "She's sleeping." He said as he walked towards the door.  
  
"You do know what's going to happen don't you." Kakyuu questioned him, perhaps he wasn't aware of how much he was hurting himself.  
  
Helios looked back at her with his hand on the knob with a certain glisten to his eyes. "I know. I need some air." He was gone.  
  
He walked out on the sidewalk and looked around at the night that was taking place around him. He looked to the side and thought of a time not too long ago when Odango laid Mamoru out on the pavement. He laughed a bit at the memory and unfortunately he knew there were more to come. "I came back in the past to heal my broken heart and only ended up breaking it again because I was blind."  
  
"I didn't mean to break your heart." A voice came up behind him as he turned to see Chibi-Usa standing behind him. 


	12. twelve

Part XII  
  
The mist seemed to fill every bit of air that surrounded her. The area was dimly lit by a few stray candles. Pluto looked around, it was so different here in the dark. Normally the gates of time were lit by the sweet cool moonlight, but now that it was gone they were dull. She walked farther ahead to the large doors which lead to the time streams and sands.  
  
Pluto took a key from her belt and held it in a clenched fist to the door. With a few phrases of a language long forgotten the doors began to glow with a burgundy aura but did not open. "This can't be."  
  
"Oh yes, it can." A voice came through the doors. It was Pluto, the future Pluto. Was she blocking the door so that her past self could not interfere with her plans?  
  
The Pluto from the past began to bang on the door with her time staff and fist. "What are you doing? You're ruining everything, can't you see that?" Her pleas seemed desperate. "Don't you understand what you're doing to our future?"  
  
"Yes, I know very well what I'm doing to our future." The future Pluto was now touching the inside of the door gently. "I wish I had known in your time what I know now. Why did things have to turn out the way they did?" Pluto thought of Helios' desperate words before he disappeared through the gates before and a revelation came to her. "Things don't have to turn out the way they did, the future is not set in stone and I will help reshape it!"  
  
With a burst of power the gates of time opened to leave the two guardians of time face to face. "We were wrong." The future Pluto stepped closer.  
  
The Pluto from the past was thoroughly confused and said nothing. DEAD SCREAM Rang through the myst as the attack from the future collided with the body of the past.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Helios stared at her for a moment, not sure of how to react. It was true that he still felt something for this girl, he couldn't hate her for what she did to him. "What are you doing here?" He asked not making any other attempt to greet her.  
  
Chibi-Usa smiled at him. "What no hug?" She said with a slight laugh and realized that he didn't find it amusing. "I came to bring you back home with me."  
  
"I'm not going there with you, besides, what kind of home do you think you're going to have now?" He said looking up at the sky. "The moon is gone, isn't that enough proof for you?"  
  
Chibi-Usa didn't look up at the sky to examine his statement instead continued to stare at him. "You and I both know it can come back, just as you can."  
  
Helios looked at her as she gave him that loving look. Chibi-Usa took a step towards him and brought her hand up to rest on his cheek. Helios could feel his eyes closing as he felt her touch, so light.  
  
"Do you really want to throw away our future? Do you really want to leave me?" Her hand came down to trace his jawline.  
  
Helios' head came down to look her in the eyes. "You don't love me, why would you want me to be with you?"  
  
"I do love you, and I do want to be with you."  
  
"What about Saturn?" He asked taking her hand by the wrist to prevent it from wandering to his senses again. "Do you love me more than Saturn?"  
  
Chibi-Usa looked down and pulled her arm free from it's captor. "It doesn't matter, you and I are supposed to be together, just as Usagi and Mamoru are. That's the way things are supposed to be and that's the way they will be."  
  
"No you're wrong. They don't have to be this way, you don't have to pretend to be happy with me." Helios argued with her and searched her eyes for any piece of understanding.  
  
"Do you still love me?" Chibi-Usa asked as almost a plea.  
  
Much to her pleasure his face displayed a smile. "I will always love you…" Chibi-Usa's face reflected the joy he had just given her. "… but I'm afraid that I can not love you the way I have. I've found some one else to fill my heart."  
  
Chibi-Usa looked up in his eyes and could see that it was true. Even if he had claimed to be happy with her before she had never truly seen this happiness in his eyes which they contained now. "You know you can't be with her… don't you?" She asked.  
  
Helios looked back up at the townhouse that he had been staying in. His heart ached as he thought of the person he was going to have to leave behind. "I know…"  
  
"So why don't you end this now, why do you continue to torture yourself by falling in love with her more and more everyday? Why don't you just leave and come back to the future with me?" Chibi-Usa took his hands into her own. Helios took his gaze from their windows but before he did he noticed a familiar red haired figure standing in the window. "If you can't have her, why not try to be happy with me?" She asked as she pulled him in for a kiss.  
  
Helios broke the kiss, it was so empty just as their previous ones had been. He looked back up at the window above to see Kakyuu turn away. "I won't live a lie… I'm going to stay here in the past to spend every moment I can with her until my time dies out."  
  
"No." Chibi-Usa looked at him sternly. "I tried to sway you to come on your own free will but no I see that was a waste of my time!"  
  
Helios' eyes focused in on her frame while his brain tried to comprehend her words. Was she going to take him by force? He noticed something gold in her hand and he knew it was her transformational broach, she was going to attack him. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"I'm going to dispose of your distractions in this time, I'm going to get rid of Kakyuu and Odango." She said as she raised her hand over her head.  
  
Helios was surprised to say the least and quickly moved to grab her hand. He didn't know what kind of power Kakyuu had to defend herself and he knew that Odango was sleeping, she didn't stand a chance. "Stop, I'll go with you." He said looking into her eyes. "Just don't hurt them and I'll go back home with you." Chibi-Usa smiled and stopped what she was doing. Together they walked to the outer's house.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
I got out of bed, unaware of just how much had happened last night, and stumbled into the kitchen where I found Kakyuu reading the paper. "Good morning." I said as I plopped myself down across from her.  
  
She looked up from her paper and gave me an odd look, a look that almost said 'you poor creature' but hey, it was early, what did I know. "Earth's astronomers are trying to figure the disappearance out."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked not really sure where this was going. I looked out the window and saw the drizzling rain streaming down upon the city. It didn't look so great so far.  
  
Kakyuu smiled at me as she folded the paper and passed it my way. "We've done it, we've accomplished our mission and brought them together."  
  
I looked down at the paper and saw the headline. 'Moon disappears.' It was an article on how the Earth's moon mysteriously left it's orbit last night and scientists have no idea how or why it happened. "Where is it?" I asked, it was a little too early in the morning for me to be conjuring up scientific ideas.  
  
With a smile on her face, that seemed to broaden with my question, Kakyuu stood. "It has gone to the star Fighter." She walked over and poured me a cup of tea. "Earth is no longer in possession of the moon, therefore it may move freely throughout the universe. This is also true for Usagi's love and life."  
  
"So since Usagi left Mamoru and has now gone to Seiya the moon has done the same?" I looked at Kakyuu dumbfoundedly. "So we're never going to have a moon again?"  
  
"That's not necessarily true." She brought the cup down before me and reclaimed her previous seat. "I have to see my Starlights now."  
  
"You mean it's over, we don't have to hide?" What a relief that would be.  
  
Kakyuu shook her head much to my dismay. "No, I don't have to hide any more, but you on the other hand should."  
  
I felt my brows furrow in contemplation. "Where's Helios?" I asked noticing for the first time that the apartment seemed all too quiet. I noticed Kakyuu look downward and faulter for a moment but quickly regained her normal composure. "What happened? Where is he?" From her reaction I could tell that it wasn't good, had something happened to him?  
  
"Come, we must see the other Starlights."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The apartment was quiet and for once he didn't like it this way. Seiya was so incredibly thrilled but at the same time the same situation that caused his joy was chewing at him from the inside out. This was all that he had ever wished for, to be with Usagi, and now that he finally was could he hold onto it?  
  
"I know what you're thinking about." Taiki said coming up next to him, he gracefully took a seat on the couch beside him. "You do realize your place, ne?"  
  
"Hmm…" Seiya grunted in agreeance. He knew he didn't belong here and that he should have an unwavering loyalty to his Princess but what happened to the loyalty that he had to his own heart? "I don't…"  
  
"There's no room for your feelings when it comes to being a senshi, you should already understand that." Taiki was stern, he didn't leave any room for argument.  
  
"Is that how you do it Taiki?" Yaten's voice came from the doorway. "Can you honestly say that you still believe yourself any more?"  
  
Seiya looked up, this new twist to their conversation was just the ammunition that he needed on his side. "What's going on?" He asked naively, but understood well where Yaten was coming from.  
  
"I'm not going to deny my feelings, but I'm also not going to let them control me. I was well aware of my situation when I arrived here, and I have not strayed from my mission!" Taiki's anger rose with his voice. Were they daring to say that he was not loyal to their mission?  
  
Yaten smiled and looked up at the taller man. "You might not have strayed but I can see that your heart and your mind have." Seiya continued to look on in awe, he had never witnessed anyone going against Taiki in a battle of logic, but this was not a battle that Taiki was going to give up on so easily.  
  
"Does it even matter now?" Taiki said sitting back down. "So what if I do cave in and admit it? Where will that get me? Nowhere. We are to go home soon and protect our Princess if we ever find her. I will not give myself a false sense of hope for something that I know can never be."  
  
"Sometimes hope is all we have." The Light's heads shot up to see who this new presence in the room was.  
  
"Princess?" Seiya said with tears coming to his eyes. She was here, their princess had come back to them, but why was she with this girl?  
  
"I'm sorry that I had to do what I did." Kakyuu said coming up in front of her Starlights while Odango stayed in the background. "To protect our future and that of the Moon Princess, I had to lead you to Earth."  
  
"So you did come here only to have us follow you." Yaten said catching up. "But why? What does this have to do with our future? And what is she doing here?" He said pointing to the blond in the background.  
  
"Welcome home my Starlights."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Mamoru sat on the porch of the outer's house. It was true he had been spending a lot of time there, but there was just something here that drew him. The rain was falling fast but it didn't put a damper on his mood. Michiru had explained to him the significance of the moon's disappearance but more importantly she had explained to him that the moon couldn't have left if the Earth didn't want it to.  
  
Mamoru knew in his heart that he and Usagi didn't belong together, they just didn't understand one another. Their conversations were nothing more than that which good friends would have. They were on different levels and now they both knew it. Mamoru needed some one wiser, some one with more experience in life and some one who knew just what he needed.  
  
Through the rain his eyes picked up a familiar burgundy light, it soon flickered and was replaced by a female form. Mamoru quickly left the porch and ran to the woman with an umbrella in hand. "You're going to catch a cold if you keep this up." He said as he placed the umbrella protectively above her head.  
  
Setsuna smiled up at him and searched his face. "I've missed you." She said with a gleam in her eye.  
  
Mamoru cracked a smile. "What do you mean? I've just only said good bye to you last night."  
  
Setsuna realized her mistake and thought back upon the unconscious past version of herself that she had left at the gates of time. "I've come to help you get the moon back."  
  
"What do you mean?" Mamoru looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"You do want the moon back, don't you?" Setsuna's eyes were almost pleading as she looked up at him again awaiting her answer.  
  
"Does the Earth truly need the moon?" He said wrapping his arms around her waist. "I know now that I can live without her…" He brought his forehead down to lean against hers, leaving the umbrella and the rain forgotten. "…but I can't live without you." His confession was sealed with a kiss. Two bodies in the rain, in the mist and in love.  
  
Setsuna's job wasn't as hard as she thought it would be! (^_~)  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Pu?"  
  
"Small Lady, quickly."  
  
"I've brought Helios, everything will be fine now, ne Pu?" 


	13. thirteen

Gomen for the long wait in me updating, but I've kind of gotten bored with this fic... U_U... and I've had some personal issues that really needed my attention. (No, it's not like a rash on my butt or anything!) *sweat drops * You people... Anywho, there's only one last part to this fic, I promise I'll get around to writing it soon. *crosses her heart *  
  
Part XIII  
  
The three were staring at me and I could feel their eyes borrowing holes through my body, which made me shift uncomfortably. Kakyuu walked back a few steps to come up next to me. "I'm sure you've already met the newest member of your team." Her hand came up to rest on my shoulder as she spoke these words.  
  
"Nani?!" The three said in unison. "But how?"  
  
Kakyuu smiled at me and then turned to the lights. "By now I'm sure you've realized that I've been hiding ever since I came to Earth. I came here once again on a mission, and Odango here was to help me along with Helios."  
  
"But why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you." Seiya said desperately trying to understand what was going on.  
  
Shaking her head, Kakyuu walked across the room to sit down but I made no motion to join her. I didn't want to be involved in any of this, although it seemed that I had no choice. "Sailor Pluto from the future came to me just before I tried to convince you three to come to Earth. She told me of a horrible tragedy that would come to be if I didn't bring you here to this planet."  
  
"What? What tragedy? We haven't seen any enemies or anything like that." Yaten was confused and the wheels in his head were turning about a mile a minute.  
  
"Does Shakaku know of any of this?" Taiki asked narrowing his eyes at his Princess.  
  
I tried to think back to all of the episodes that I had seen and couldn't recall the name, it didn't sound familiar from the manga either. "Who's Shakaku?" I asked not really intending on speaking out loud, it just kind of slipped out.  
  
Kakyuu turned her head to face me. "Shakaku is my older sister, the rightful heir to the throne of Kinmoku."  
  
"So you're not the ruler of Kinmoku?" I asked now intrigued with this new turn of events.  
  
"No, I'm not." Kakyuu looked down at her hands. "I assumed temporary rule of Kinmoku and it's people once my sister was taken by Galaxia, but that was and is the only time that Kinmoku would be under my power."  
  
"But Princess, why did you come?" Yaten was not pleased with the detour this conversation was taking.  
  
Kakyuu gazed over at Seiya with what appeared to be a loving look. "One of you would have died in the future if we didn't come back to Earth."  
  
"Why are you looking at me that way?" Seiya asked getting a little nervous. "I'm the one who died?" He asked incredulously, then looked at Taiki and Yaten.  
  
"Yes, you would become more miserable than you were before in the future and end up taking your own life. By coming back to Earth you were given the one thing that could save you. And that was my mission, to help you find that one thing." Kakyuu had a warm smile on her face.  
  
Seiya looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. "So that's why you were always protecting me from Haruka beatings and making excuses for me to be with Odango?"  
  
I laughed a little nervously. "We did a good job, ne?"  
  
"What good did any of this do?" Taiki started in on his ranting again. "Were you planning on breaking his heart?" He pointed back at Seiya as his voice grew louder.  
  
"Nani?" I asked. Why was he directing his anger at me? I didn't concoct this plan, but then again, he really couldn't vent his frustrations on his princess.  
  
"Maker!" Kakyuu snapped at him. "I will not be the cause of anyone's heart break, I don't know what you assumed but apparently you've misjudged the situation."  
  
"But Princess, now that we've found you we're going home, you are going to separate them again." Taiki didn't understand for once in his life, either that or he didn't want to see the solution right in front of him.  
  
"As I said before, welcome home my Starlights. Earth is to be our new home, the five of us." Kakyuu stood and looked straight at me.  
  
"The five of us?" Seiya questioned looking at me also.  
  
"Since you three took it upon yourselves to attack my helper, and my friend, I had no choice but to transform her into a Starlight to allow her to get away from you without revealing myself." Kakyuu walked over to me. "Sailor Star Maker, Healer and Fighter, may I present to you the newest member of our Starlights, Sailor Star Traveler."  
  
The Light's eyes went wide and I couldn't do anything else but stand there. "She is not of this world, and is also going to call this Earth her new home. I hope you will show her the same kindness that you have shown one another."  
  
Seiya smiled at me. "I have no problem with her, after all, she is partially to thank for getting Odango and I together, ne Morgan?"  
  
"Well, you see..." I started but was cut off by Kakyuu.  
  
"Morgan is not her real name. Her name is Odango."  
  
"Nani?" The three of them jumped. "Two Odangos?" Yaten smacked his forehead. "And I thought one was bad!"  
  
"It's alright, you can call me Morgan if you'd like."  
  
"No, my name is Taiki and I wouldn't want you calling me Fred!" Kakyuu and I looked at him with a look saying `what the hell was that all about'.  
  
"But Princess, why are we staying here on Earth?" Yaten asked trying to steer clear of Taiki's asinine statement.  
  
Kakyuu smiled and detransformed from being a princess. "You three are my protectors, ne?" The three shook their heads. "Well I will be living on Earth from now on as a galactic diplomat from Kinmoku and you three must stay here to protect me."  
  
The three just looked at her with a smile and saw the extremely far-fetched excuse she must have given her sister to be able to stay here. I was still behind them and in the background. "You just made that up." I said crossing my arms.  
  
"I didn't make it up, it's called improvising!" Kakyuu shot a little victory sign at me and I just sweat dropped.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's all fine and dandy but what happened to your other little helper? You know, Morgan's little `boyfriend'." Seiya asked batting his eyes making some lovey dovey gesture.  
  
Kakyuu's eyes narrowed and seemed to curse Seiya silently for asking the question. "He has gone home... His work here was done."  
  
My eyes went wide. It couldn't be, he left, without even saying good-bye? He left me after he had told me how he was some one I could turn to in this crazy new world I had been thrown into? "Doushite?" I asked in a whisper as I just looked down to the ground.  
  
Kakyuu came up right in front of me and I could feel the three Lights looking at me also. "I'm sorry." She said as she stepped even closer. "I saw him last night... with... Chibi-Usa." By now she had wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly. "He left with her after I saw them kissing in the street."  
  
"No." I said with my arms still at my side. "No, that can't be true..."  
  
"I saw it with my own eyes."  
  
"No, I want to see him before he goes." I cried out. I didn't care how I was going to do it, I had to see him before he went back to the future with her, I had to know why. "I just need to talk to him for one last time."  
  
There were looks of utter pitty and sympathy on the Light's faces as they continued to stare at me. I felt like an ass, I was never one to openly show this kind of emotion, so I didn't. "Seiya, you dumb ass!" I wiped away my tears as he just looked at me strangely. "You're living here on Earth now, and Usagi wants to be with you, what the hell are you still doing here with us?" I laughed at him as he smiled and ran out the door. "Honestly, some people." I just shook my head.  
  
"We'll be back later." Kakyuu said as she took my arm. "We have a little unfinished business to attend to." Taiki and Yaten nodded as we walked away.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
Haruka put her arm around the smaller woman's waist as they looked out the picture window together. "She'll finally be happy." The smaller woman said as she looked up.  
  
Haruka shook her head. "I don't know how happy she is going to be when she finds out that she plays a major role in the destruction of the little girl that was so dear to her."  
  
"I think things have a funny way of working out." Michiru smiled as she squeezed her loves arms tighter around her. "I think everything will be just fine."  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"We should get in out of the rain." Mamoru laughed a bit as he generously covered Setsuna with his umbrella.  
  
Setsuna didn't make any motion of following him back to the house. "Mamoru, I must go now."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"There is something wrong at the gates of time. I can feel it. My past self must have woken up." There was a mixture of emotions playing across her usually placid face.  
  
"Your past self?" Mamoru asked as he watched her transform to Sailor Pluto.  
  
Pluto smiled at the man she loved, and had loved for so long. "I am not the Pluto of this time. I am from the future. I am the one who allowed Helios and Kakyuu to come here at this time."  
  
"You did this?" He asked with wide eyes and now being soaked by the rain again. Soon Sailor Uranus and Neptune were by his side.  
  
"Pluto, we saw you transform from the window, what is it? Is everything alright?" Neptune asked as Uranus just looked from Mamoru to Pluto.  
  
Pluto gave one more look to Mamoru. "Are you mad that I did?" She asked before their conversation was completely lost. Mamoru smiled and shook his head and she had her answer. "There is a problem at the gates of time, I must go." She said facing Uranus and Neptune.  
  
"We'll come with you." Uranus stepped forward.  
  
"Do as you like." Pluto answered.  
  
"Then I'm coming too." Tuxedo Kamen appeared ready for anything. Pluto nodded and the four were engulfed in a strong light, but one more joined their journey before they left Earth.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Transform." She ordered me.  
  
"Why?" I asked, hadn't I learned by now not to ask these kinds of questions of Kakyuu?  
  
"We can't get to the gates of time this way, we must be in senshi form." She explained just before she changed into her senshi form.  
  
I knew she could see the excitement in my eyes. We were going to find Helios.  
  
TRAVELER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!!  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Pu, what happened to you?" Sailor Chibi-Moon asked as she ran towards Pluto pulling Helios by the hand behind him, which only made him think of the way Odango would get excited and drag him around.  
  
The past Pluto shook her head. "Nevermind that, you must get back to your time."  
  
"Thank you Pu." Chibi-Moon smiled as she gave a rough tug on Helios.  
  
"No!" Helios yelled as he struggled free of his captor.  
  
"You're going to ruin everything!" Chibi-Moon yelled.  
  
"Quick, you must not let him get out of here." Pluto said as she held her staff tightly and looked as though she was going to attack him.  
  
"No Pu! Wait, I'll do it, mine won't hurt him nearly as bad as yours would." Chibi-Usa said as she ran off after him.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Something is wrong." Seiya's head came up. He was waiting in Usagi's living room for her, since she hadn't been expecting him she was upstairs getting out of the shower. Her mother had insisted on him waiting in the living room.  
  
"I'm ready to go!" Usagi said as she hopped down the stairs, but then stopped when she noticed Seiya's serious face. She nodded and waited until they were out of the house to ask what was the matter.  
  
"I felt Kakyuu and Morgan transform, there must be trouble." Seiya said as he searched Usagi's face for her reaction.  
  
"Then we must help them." She smiled as she took out her broach. Once the two were transformed they set out to find Mercury and Maker to help locate the two.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
The blasts were coming at him faster than he could dodge sometimes. He had been hit a few times and knew that if he was hit just once more that he would be done. Chibi-Moon was hot on his tail as he had circled around and was now heading back towards the gates where Pluto stood. He had to get back, he couldn't go to the future, he couldn't leave her behind.  
  
"Helios, just stop running and come with me, like you're supposed to." Chibi-Moon called and a blast followed that hit him dead on. He was out cold. Chibi-Moon bent down and picked his limp form up and carried him back to Pluto.  
  
"You've done it." Pluto said as she watched Chibi-Moon set him down still cradling him in her arms.  
  
"NO!" They heard a scream and looked to where it had come from. There was a Starlight fallen to her knees on the floor in front of them, she had grayish silver bands around her arms and neck and long blond hair pulled back in a low ponytale.  
  
Setsuna recognized the woman that had come up behind her as Kakyuu and could only assume that this Starlight was Odango. "Chibi-Moon now!" Pluto called as Chibi-Moon stood holding Helios close to her as she made her way towards the great doors.  
  
"Stop right there!" Kakyuu called to Chibi-Moon who ignored her call.  
  
DEAD SCREAM!  
  
The magenta orb flew through the air and straight towards Kakyuu and Traveler.  
  
DEAD SCREAM!  
  
The same attack flew up from behind them and collided with the first to burst wide open with an oray of colors. Kakyuu and Traveler quickly turned around to see anther Sailor Pluto, Tuxedo Kamen, Uranus, Neptune and Hotaru standing behind them. "Chibi-Moon, drop him." The Pluto from  
  
"Pu?" Chibi-Moon was confused. "But why?" She asked turning away from the door and looking towards the past Pluto to see her reaction.  
  
"Chibi-Moon, he doesn't belong to you any more." The future Pluto said standing next to Tuxedo Kamen. "Let him be where he wishes."  
  
Traveler looked from Chibi-Moon and Helios to the Pluto behind her with the tears still in her eyes. Were the outers trying to help her now?  
  
"Chibi-Moon no, don't listen to her, they're trying to mess up your future." The past Pluto warned. "If you leave him here, Usagi and Mamoru will never get back together, and you'll never be born."  
  
"Usagi and I..." Mamoru began but was cut off by a small girl barging by him.  
  
Hotaru charged up to the future Pluto. "You can't let Chibi-Usa never be born, you just can't!" She screamed up at her. "Setsuna-mama, what are you doing?"  
  
"Hotaru..." Mamoru began as he saw those small purple eyes turn to him in anger.  
  
"How can you do this to her, she's your daughter! Don't you love her?" Hotaru was near hysterics and all of the shouting must woken Helios.  
  
"Chibi-Moon?" Helios questioned weakly. He could see the tears streaming down her cheeks and noticed that she wasn't paying attention to him.  
  
"I don't want to disappear." She shook and said in a low whisper. "I don't want to disappear..."  
  
"Hold it right there!" A new voice rang in the conversation. "I am the pretty suited sailor senshi Sailor Moon"  
  
"We know who you are!" Mars said coming up behind her nudging her in the side.  
  
"No, I don't know her." Moon pointed to Traveler who was staring back at the new group.  
  
"That's Sailor Star Traveler." Fighter answered her question. The inners and the Starlights had now joined the group.  
  
"Great, can we get any more senshi in here?" Uranus rolled her eyes. Everyone just sweat dropped and turned their attention back to the past Pluto standing between them and Chibi-Moon cradling Helios.  
  
"Mama?" Chibi-Usa whispered but only Helios could hear.  
  
"Chibi-Moon." He said looking up at her finally drawing her attention to him. "Chibi-Moon, I will go home with you to the future."  
  
Chibi-Moon's eyes went wide. "Honto?" She asked and saw him shake his head.  
  
It was fine in theory, their plan, but when confronted with the consequences of their actions he just couldn't go through with it. Helios couldn't erase from his heart what was once shared between himself and Chibi-Usa, and he couldn't bring her life to an end. He knew that it would break Odango's heart to see him leave, but it was better for one to live with a broken heart than to have another not live at all, ne?  
  
Helios stood to his feet. "Don't, this is all senseless." He said to the group of senshi standing across the room from him. "Don't be mad at Chibi-Usa, she didn't do anything wrong. I will go back to the future with her, I don't belong here."  
  
"Helios! What are you doing?" Kakyuu yelled to him and Traveler just stared on. The inners and outers, no longer seeming a part of this event faded a bit to the background as they watched the small soap opera playing out before them.  
  
Helios's eyes fell on Traveler's for a moment but were quickly taken away. "Kakyuu, could you kill some one just to see some one else's life happier?" He asked in a low whisper.  
  
"Damn you!" Kakyuu was enraged and almost screaming. "You should have thought about this before! Odango warned you about this, but you some how found an excuse around it then. So why now, why now that you've found a love that accepts you and sends you the same endearment in return, have you decided to give up and forget your mission."  
  
"I was wrong." Helios said. Traveler turned her gaze from the situation before her and walked back through a break in the wall of senshi behind her. Helios watched her go and felt a pain in his heart as it felt as though something inside him was dying. "This is for the best." He said in a whisper as he took Chibi-Moon's hand who was just staring at him.  
  
"Thank you Helios." A young Hotaru came running up to him and wrapped her pink haired best friend in a hug. This stung Helios' heart even more for her knew he would have to witness this sight everyday.  
  
"Do you honestly think that if you go back to the future now that anything could be the same?" Tuxedo Kamen asked from behind Helios. "Do you think that just because you aren't here, that Usagi and I will get back together?"  
  
"Mamoru?" Helios questioned him as he turned around now with a completely puzzled look on his face. "You must be with Usagi... you have to... you can't let Chibi-Usa disappear."  
  
"She won't disappear." Yet another voice was heard, this time it came from behind Chibi-Usa and Helios.  
  
Everyone turned to see who this new presence was and when the light faded a woman with brilliant cloth wings could be seen. "Neo-Queen Serenity!" All of the senshi bowed except the Starlights and Kakyuu.  
  
"Chibi-Usa, or should I say Issetsuna, you left the future just before Usagi and Mamoru broke up, that is the only reason that you appear here the way you are." NQS moved closer to the pink haired girl. Helios backed away while Issetsuna just stared on in disbelief. NQS bent down and kissed the shorter girl on the forehead and she was instantly engulfed in ribbons.  
  
"Chibi-Usa..." Both Plutos gasped as they saw the transformation. The once pink hair was replaced by mint green and once red eyes were replaced by a deep plumb color.  
  
"Arise Princess of the Earth, Princess Issetsuna." The newly transformed girl arose and bowed before the senshi who were still knelt down before her. "Mamoru," She smiled at him after saying his name. "Usagi," She turned to her past self with love and compassion. "You have finally made the decision that will make you happy in your future, you truly owe your new found happiness to this man here. Helios." The Queen bowed to him and surprised everyone. "Arigato." She said as she, Issetsuna and the Pluto of the future slowly began to fade.  
  
"Take care of him as I know only you can!" The future Pluto winked at her past self.  
  
Helios stared at the women as they disappeared and he couldn't help but think why he didn't return to the future with them. He turned to the group of senshi standing opposite him and noticed one missing. She was gone, Traveler had left during their whole escapade. Helios ran towards the exit in hopes of catching up with her but saw no signs of her.  
  
"She's gone." Kakyuu said from behind him. 


	14. fourteen

Here it is, the last chapter! I know it's pretty short, but hey, it's Valentine's Day and I have more important things to worry about! *_* I wonder what time Helios is going to come and pick me up? Hahhaahaaa... I'll let you know if that really happens, I have been taking a lot of cold medicine! ^_~  
  
Part XIV  
  
The television played across the room as it sent its colors dancing on the walls. "Why am I still here?" Helios cursed himself. It had been three days since the fall out of the senshi and yet he was not able to return to his rightful time. No one had heard anything from Odango since it had all happened, though they had looked for her. "Where is she?"  
  
Would she even forgive him if he did find her? And if she did forgive him, could she ever learn to trust him again? He felt so empty inside as if a piece of himself was missing, and he was forced to stay here and be reminded of it everyday.  
  
~flash back~  
  
"But why?" Helios asked Setsuna on the porch of the outer's house.  
  
Setsuna set her tea cup down and shook her head with her eyes closed. "It is an order from Neo Queen Serenity."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"So many questions." A man's voice chuckled from behind them. It was Mamoru, he had come up from behind Setsuna.  
  
"You will stay here and live in this time until the day before you left. At that time you will travel ahead in the future to the exact time that you left, essentially only leaving a small gap in the time that you were truly gone. Your present self is in Illusion and therefore you will never meet." Setsuna explained to him but only saw his face drop.  
  
"Is this my punishment?"  
  
~end flash back~  
  
A sudden knock at the door brought him back to reality. With a strained effort he lifted himself from the couch. Wait, this could be Odango. He quickened his pace and seemingly flew to the door only to be met with disappointment. "Kakyuu." He said as he leaned against the door.  
  
"May I come in?" She asked not waiting for an answer but instead stepping past him as he did a cheesy bow. "I see you're spending your time in the past well." She mocked him as she saw the bare apartment with only a couch and a television to decorate the room.  
  
"What do you want?" Helios asked with his eyes narrowed. Kakyuu hadn't spoken to him since that day, and he had made no efforts to speak with her. He knew the animosity that she must have for him right now, but it couldn't match what he felt towards himself.  
  
"Oh, I see you've been watching a bit of television." Kakyuu sat down on the couch and looked at the screen. "This is a tape, ne?" She questioned getting back up to walk towards the VCR.  
  
Helios watched her, he didn't care that she saw what he had been watching. He missed her, her missed Odango, and if the only way that he could be part of her life was to watch her on television than he would have to be happy with that. "So?"  
  
Kakyuu looked at him with pursed lips. Reaching a hand down she flicked the switch on the box and a show came on. Helios became intrigued with this and made his way over to her. "Do you know what this is?" She asked as his eyes stared at the screen.  
  
"A hospital room?" He questioned some how recognizing some of the faces standing around the bed.  
  
"Usagi and the other girls watch this show constantly, and they told me about this." It was silent in the room and she watched for Helios' reaction. She knew that he had figured out just who was in the bed. "I guess this character Odango on this show has been in a coma for quite a while and she may be waking up today, since she has been showing strength in her life signs."  
  
"What does this mean?" Helios asked more to himself and not really expecting an answer from Kakyuu, but he got one anyway.  
  
"She's still here." Helios' head shot up at her words. "But she may not be for long. It looks as though she's trying to go home."  
  
"No." Helios said as his breath caught. "She can't leave me."  
  
"Why not?" Kakyuu sat down. "You were going to leave her, why can't she go `home'?" Helios began to cry as he watched the show play out in front of him and noticed that the girl's eyes fluttered and almost opened, it looked as though she would wake up at any minute. "Oh, it looks like it could be any minute now."  
  
"No..."  
  
~Doctor, it looks as though she may pull through.~ The nurse on the show stated with a smile as the girl's mother stood off to the side smiling and suddenly came over to take her daughter's hand.  
  
~Odango, if you can hear me, I love and miss you so much. I knew that some day you would grow up and move on, but I didn't think that day would be so soon and I didn't think that it would end like this.~ Her mother cried tears of joy as the monitor on her daughter's brain started to pick up.  
  
"No..." Helios whispered again.  
  
"She'll be happy with her mother." Kakyuu smiled at the television. "Don't you think? It was nice having her around for a while." Kakyuu knew just what she was doing to him, but she also knew that once Odango left this world she would never be able to come back.  
  
"No... Odango, I love you... gomen..."  
  
~Doctor we're losing her.~  
  
There was another knock at the door. "Are you going to answer it?" Kakyuu looked at Helios with a bit of a smile on her face. The knock came again.  
  
~She's stabilizing.~  
  
"No!" Helios ran to the door when the knocking ceased and tore it open. There in the doorway stood a girl with blond hair and greenish eyes looking up at him. "Gomen-nasai..." He uttered before he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly.  
  
~We're losing her!~  
  
"Aishiteru, Odango." He whispered not letting up on his grip from her.  
  
~BEEEEEEEEEPPPPP. She's gone, I'm sorry.~  
  
Across town, the inners sat with the Light's watching the same show and cheered. "It feels kind of weird cheering for the fact that she's dead." Minako laughed in spite herself.  
  
"She's not dead." Usagi corrected Minako. "She just chose to stay here with Helios."  
  
"Yaten? What's that on your foot?" Seiya pointed down as Yaten quickly tucked his feet beneath him.  
  
"What are you talking about? There's nothing on my foot!" He said cursing him silently.  
  
"Yes, there is, I saw it too." Taiki commented looking over his shoulder. "It looked pinkish. Do you have a wart?"  
  
"Ewww!!!" The girls answered in response.  
  
"GOD TAIKI!! You're supposed to be smart! You can't tell the difference between a wart and nail polish!?" Yaten shrieked and then immediately covered his mouth when he realized what he had said.  
  
"Nail polish?" Seiya questioned with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
~@~@~@~  
  
"Well there you have it." Odango walks to the television and looks at the viewers watching from home. "I'm staying here. What? Why? What kind of question is that? I'm a freakin super hero here and besides, look at this gorgeous hunk that has just professed his love to me!" She pulls Helios in from the sidelines.  
  
"Aren't you going to tell them about Seiya and Usagi?" Helios asks, not exactly liking being the center of attention.  
  
"Oh yeah! We have a moon here!" Odango does some cheesy little dance in celebration. But then quickly moves when she sees Minako's head trying to fit into the screen.  
  
"It's soooo romantic!"  
  
Helios pushes Minako's head back off screen. "Yeah, since Seiya decided to live here on Earth the moon followed him here and when you look up at the night sky, that really super bright star that stands next to the moon, it's name is Fighter."  
  
"I love happy endings!" Kakyuu starts making dreamy eyes just like Minako.  
  
"Oh yeah, by the way, we'd tell you all what happens in the future but that would ruin the rest of the show for you and besides," Helios starts to pout. "They won't tell us either!"  
  
Odango comes and shoves a huge tray of cookies in front of Helios to get him to stop whining. "Thanks for watching!" 


End file.
